SIGHT & SOUND
When local news hogs headlines
Amita Malik

During the past week, a number of events took place. At least one of these cases should have been of local or regional interest but suddenly assumed all-India proportions. It was certainly interesting to see how different channels categorised them in terms of headline news.

First, the breach of security at the PM’s House by two airhostesses and an AC mechanic. I first got on to the story on Aaj Tak, where Deepak Chaurasia was waxing eloquent as only he can on the generalities of security at the PM’s House and elsewhere. His reporters were not yet on the scene but NDTV’s alert reporter Rahul Srivastava certainly was. He not only filmed the breach from the start but also caught up with the culprits and did a riveting (and at times very amusing) interview with one of the girls and got that immortal shot of the girl who was driving blowing kisses to the security guards.

I frequently changed over to IBN-CNN, the "Whatever It Takes" channel which is always patting itself on its super stars and coverage, but it was going on solidly with its routine programme and only caught on to the story briefly in later bulletins. But it certainly woke up the next morning and even got its reporters in Jodhpur to interview the very modest-looking and homely parents of one of the girls who seemed stunned by their daughter’s escapade and attributed it to a child’s shararat. By the time the PM’s mediaperson had dismissed it as no breach at all, the police and security people got into action and the culprits were arrested and then released on bail. After that, it became a story common to all channels and rested there.

The second story was the Jagmohan Dalmiya-Prasun Mukherji contest for the Cricket Association of Bengal presidentship in Kolkata. One would have thought it would be a local story but it soon blossomed into a top all-India headline story with political overtones which almost overtook the cricket angle. The election result was announced after 11 p.m. and I sat up for it after watching how different channels tackled it.

Most channels kept it in a corner of the screen because big national and international (Jaswant Singh, Israel’s attack killing children) stories were hogging the headlines. Only one channel made it its lead story for the better part of the evening and saw it through to its exciting photofinish. This was India channel. I must confess I do not always enjoy the investigative stories put out by them even as I respect Rajat Sharma as both a friend and a TV professional. But in this case India TV followed the Kolkata CAB elections ball by ball from start to finish. And as someone who follows both Bengal politics and sports politics with equal interest, I was very happy to get such detailed coverage from India channel. I am only sorry that I forgot to watch the Bengali TV channels, which are quite easily available in Delhi. That would really have been something, I am sure.

For sheer cricketing pleasure, I have seldom enjoyed a match so much as when I watched Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara score that amazing world record as they flogged South Africa all over the field. And I felt as happy when Jayawardene scored his 300 as when our own Viru Sehwag did the same against Pakistan. But I am not sorry Jayawardene did not equal Brian Lara’s 400 because Lara is one of my all-time heroes. I hope he will remain No. 1.

I also enjoyed an unusual version of Cricket Controversies because there were no controversies at all when the organisers of the World Cricket Cup in the West Indies told us exactly how they were organising the games in all the nine countries, with famous playing venues, and how Indian cricket fans could get there and what would it cost.

The West Indians are charmers, and not only when they play but also when they watch cricket. Added to all the cricket information which the elegant head of the organisers and his team gave us was the lovely cricketing song by their star singer. The West Indies music is as unique as their cricket and it was the perfect ending to a programme conducted with great elegance by Sonali Chander. There is no one in the same class as her as sports anchor, and we hope she makes it to the World Cup in the West Indies. Far preferable to Mandira Bedi.