Friday, August 15, 2014

BBC should write a book

BBC should write a text book on news broadcasting and shove it down the throats of its Indian counterparts and graduate students of mass media. The high standards is very obvious.
Those on camera from the newsroom, BBC anchor or a guest, talk. Not yell. Reporters and correspondents yell if there is shelling or a hurricane in the background. The news presenters dress in pleasent attire and in colours that fit well with that of the newsroom. The presenters smile while delivering a happy news and dont while delivering a sad or neutral news. They remain dispassionate otherwise. All of them do it and they make it look easy.
The sceen has a BBC logo and one line of running news. No cluttering ads urging us to download its apps or use a deo that promises drive hot women go wild. The news or news transitions are not accompanied by submerging music in background. Recap of headlines come with the familiar and mild music.
One last thing. The presenters and correspondents come from diverse religious and ethnic background. They dont go around yelling about it but shows that it is a delibrate attempt to be diverse.
As I said, they should write a book and shove it down our newspersons throat. We deserve better than what we get in the name of news now.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

The Unique, Compassionate genie meets an Ironic end

I came to know of Robin Williams as Mrs. Doubtfire. (S)he was a unique character. I guessed the fact that Robin Williams produced the eponymous movie, before looking up Wikipedia to verify it. For, at least to me, "unique" completely defines Robin Williams too! And who played the lead role in the movie Aladin? I don't know. But, at the mention of the word, the first picture that flashes across my mind is the ever-effusive sky-blue slave Genie! Not Aladin!

None can dispute his unparalleled talent in comedy and mimicry. However, that is not why I respect Robin Williams. He is well known as a comedian. But, in all the roles that I have seen him play, the familiar, kind smile didn't portray comedy so much as it did compassion . In fact, in a few movies such as "Good Will Hunting", comedy was conspicuous in its absence, but can one recall a movie where compassion was missing?

Nothing can be more apt an example to define the word "Irony" than his death. A man who has made many laugh and feel has died because of depression. I think the oft-used statement in obituaries written for artists  "A tragic and irreplaceable loss for the world of art" has to be repeated, for when it refers to Robin Williams, it can never be cliche.

Robin Williams.  Rest In Peace