Trial By Media - Spot Fixing in IPL

While the whole of India will agree or will be brainwashed to agree with what the media says, based on the so called evidences that they seem to possess, I would like to be the devil's advocate here and raise a contrary view to what is publicly accepted in this matter

About 20 years ago, time was when I and my wife would eagerly wait for 10 PM , Friday,  to arrive every week. Doordarshan had a 30(or was it 60) minutes capsule called 'The World this week'. This used to be an absolutely amazing program with  razor sharp, BBC like presentation by Prannoy Roy, Vinod Dua, Appan Menon et al that gave a glimpse of what quality programming can be like to people who were till then fed with an insipid fare by Doordarshan. This program eventually transformed in to NDTV, one of the most viewed media channels today.

The success of NDTV and the satellite revolution saw the word bared threadbare in our living rooms. New channels came up everyday like mushrooms during monsoon, catering to every section of the society. Competition among channels serving similar content became intense and TRP ratings became the most coveted number to be sought after for improving both top and bottom lines. It did not matter if what was reported was hearsay, canard or even somebody’s figment of imagination; all that mattered was that it gave the channel the eye balls. In my childhood if a man was bitten by a dog, he would take the necessary treatment and nobody would be wiser. Today it is ‘breaking news’. Such is the lure of the TRP.

It is in this context that we need to analyze the relentless bombardment these days  in the media on IPL Spot fixing  and impassioned calls from ‘holier than thou’ TV anchors for BCCI chief’s resignation. One channel even went to the extent of seeking Suresh Kalmadi’s opinion whether the BCCI chief should resign. I wonder who is more credible, Mr. Kalmadi or the TV Channel. The point is, channels go to any ridiculous extend to achieve their only goal, highest TRP ratings. Any amount of exaggeration, insinuation, innuendo or even direct character assassination is acceptable to these media when at stake is the coveted TRP rating. No wonder then, that the hapless trio of players alleged of spot fixing is battered so badly by the media for an offence,that is betting, that is not even punishable under the Indian Penal Code. This is akin to bullying a small kid knowing fully well that the latter can’t retaliate. For sure all three will be aquitted because as of now there is no law under which these three can be convicted.As such nothing will be proved in court.  Will the media offer an apology with the same fervor that it showed in castigating them when te court aquits the players? Fat chance!

It would be naive to assume that the police did not know that betting is not an offence under IPC. Unless the police prove some other offence against all the accused, everybody arrested will be acquitted, even if spot fixing charges are proved. So it is reasonable to assume that the police is investigating something deeper. Then why did they leak this info prematurely and name a few scapegoats  they know will be acquitted eventually? May be to alert the real culprits so that the latter can cover their tracks? 

Most of the evidence that seems to be available is coming from people with questionable integrity. Take the case of Gurunath Meiyappan. Vindoo Dara Singh, a man of suspect reputation, names the former and the media wants everybody Mr. Gurunath is a relative of to resign from any office of importance. What if Vindoo Dara Singh is lying?  How did the media get this information? Did the police leak this deliberately to the media knowing fully well that they can not prove anything in court on their own, and therefore build some public opinion against the accused?

The point then is this. If the players are acquitted and/or if Mr. Gurunath is acquitted, which looks like the most likely outcome, where is the case for asking the BCCI chief to resign?  Apparently the media does not believe ‘Innocent until proven guilty’ should apply to these folks?  

The only think we can demand from Srinivasan as resignation on moral grounds , owning responsibility as the BCCI chief for everything that is related to cricket in India. But then the same applies to everybody holding public office. Why is the Home Minister S K Shinde not being asked to step down for what happened in Chattisghad? Media has always been soft on politicians in power for obvious reasons.

It is with a great sense of nostalgia that I go back to the times of ‘word this week’ where media used to report facts and only unbiased facts.