|
|
|
Sunday, March 7, 2004 |
|
|
|
Sunday, March 7, 2004 |
|
I am sure some of the political parties will go to court for exercising their right to advertise on TV channels. But financially weak parties and independent candidates who are not in a position to afford the channel fees must be happy. Political scientists have already invented methods of advertising their leaders. You may soon get a SMS, e-mail or voice mail on your phone,"Main Atal Bihari Vajpayee bol raha hoon" or "India cheated" in Sonia Gandhi’s voice. But there’s no substitute for the mass campaign on TV channels. Just like a substandard washing powder or toothpaste can be projected as a high-standard product, so also a leader with a criminal background can be launched as a great social worker through a TV ad campaign. A man was being taken to heaven after his death. Just then he saw a beautiful lady in a bikini playing with the inmates of hell. He changed his mind and decided to go to hell. As he entered hell, the Devil and his assistants started beating him mercilessly. He asked in surprise, "Where is that beautiful lady in the bikini?" The incharge said, "Shut up! that was a part of our publicity campaign." |
THE
Election Commission has decided to ban election-related advertisements
by political parties on TV channels. This is disturbing news for TV
channels as they will lose revenue in the festival season of elections.
Political parties are upset that they will lose a platform for
displaying their mudslinging skills. Parties are also being denied the
chance of projecting exaggerated claims of their achievements. TV
viewers will also miss the chance of gauging the height of lies each
party will tell through these ads.