Indian TV broadcasts live sexual assault as entertainment news
TO Guwahati, north-east India, where TV journalists for the NewsLive channel are filming a live sexual assault. In filming the attack, the TV crew have enabled men to be captured on camera and arrested. But should they have stepped in to stop it?
India’s home minister, P Chidambaram, says: “[The] molestation of women anywhere in India is condemnable.”
The chief minister of Assam state, Tarun Gogoi, adds: “No one has the right to molest anyone. I have asked the police to keep a vigil on the anti-social elements.”
NewsLive TV’s editor-in-chief, Atanu Bhuyan, says: “Some [media] questioned me as to why my reporter and camera person shot the incident and didn’t prevent the mob from molesting the girl. But I’m backing my team since the mob would have attacked them, prevented them from shooting, that would have only destroyed all evidence.”
What about the testimony of the 17-year-old victim? what about her word and the words of the TV crew and journalists? Bhuyan works on the David Attenborough assumption that the TV can only reflect life in the great outdoors and not influence it. The animals, in this case, the humans, are just doing what they do, going about their great circle of life. NewsLive is benign entertainment for the viewers at home. The affectation “Live” makers it seem edgy and happening. But everything is like that the first time to see or hear it.
This attack was filmed and broadcast for our entertainment. NewsLive should pay the victim royalties…
YouTube link.
Posted: 15th, July 2012 | In: TV & Radio Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
