Correspondent: Sir, Congratulations on your appointment. Please enlighten us, what this Ministry is all about?
Minister: Thanks .It’s very simple; it is all about what you are doing just now. You are telling our Nation about this New Ministry. This is important. In a democratic set up like ours – every citizen has to know- what is happening around and to what extent it will affect them.
Corr: Sir, don’t you think Media is already playing this role. We keep people informed of what is happening around them.
Min: Media informs but sadly, it also sensationalizes. Media adds emotions to news via debates and discussions. Your tone of reporting hits the reader/ viewer so hard, that they react to even mundane procedures around them.
Corr: Sir, What are the aims and Objectives of Ministry on News Rating?
Min: The Ministry will Classify Published / Aired News Topics under various heads- in the order of priority. This will help readers/ viewers access their importance. Needless to say, Issues of National Interests will be rated high. Another Objective is to segregate News from Gossip. Gossips & Grapevine won’t find a rating here.
Corr: Don’t you feel the recipient of News is smart enough to access this? Also it is matter of personal interest, on who chooses to read what.
Min: Absolutely. That is why; we are NOT going to censor the News. We are ONLY rating it. If particular news does not find a rating under our lists – it means, the Ministry does not consider it News-Worthy. The whole idea is to stop un-important events- being blown out of proportion. Especially those which create regional divides and Social Bias.
Corr: Will this not create a divide in the first place? Rated News scoring over un-rated ones?
Min: Take the case of Affiliated Colleges v/s Non- Affiliated Colleges. Don’t the Non-affiliated ones survive? News, feeds on readership and viewership. Rating is an aid, for those who wish to use it. Please do not hyperventilate at every Government initiative. It is our simple effort – to try and focus on relevant, development oriented subjects. If you take it in the right sense, you will see the right results.
Corr: Thank You Sir, appreciate your joining us.
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Authors Note: This is a piece of pure fiction.
10 comments:
ROFL...brilliant take..
But Maam, why do want to drain our Govt resources more?
And More important Question, which your Correspondent did not ask:
" Will This Ministry come under Lokpal"?
Too good!
The country really badly needs a rating quotient like this, but rather than having a ministry of government do that, it should be headed by a group created by social-entrepreneurs and high rated bloggers.
While the media people want the politicians to resign at the drop of a hat, i wonder why their same laws don't apply to a certain B.D ( name purposely not mentioned as i might get a court notice :() who was recently accused in some high pro phone tapes.
Beautifully written.. you had me cracking uo on this one!!
Glad to have found you at Indiblogger. Your newest follower and a regular visitor now
cheers
Kajal
and unknowingly this has penetrated deep into the Indian media. :(
Weakest LINK
Very well written.
Though you have mentioned that it is purely a fiction, this is exactly happening in our country. Very unfortunate for all of us.
Every media house takes side of one or other political part.
Brilliant piece!
I suspect you missed 'n' in the spelling....Ministry of Ra[n]ting!
Enjoyed reading......
Ask the correspondent to visit many places and ministries to give us such information!
Vivek
I think its very much needed now, common man needs some break :)
Now that was pure awesome.
Subtle humor with a message.
I would really like to get such ministry but again like all even this would be ruled by corruption and the media houses will start bribing to get the ratings. Its catch 22.
Your humor made me think. Not sure if you intended that. :-)
Great thought process, Viyoma...
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