http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnist1.asp?main_variable=Columnist&file_name=prasad%2Fprasad180.txt&writer=prasad
Casteless media! At times, what is fictional can be real, and vice versa. How far this fictional narrative could be a realty? Judge yourself. "Hold on...I have scanned through your questionnaire", the seasoned editor of a large English daily had interrupted. "For God's sake, please don't divide the media on caste lines", reasoned out the beleaguered editor. "So what if my reporter covering the social sector is a Sharma, copy editor a Bhattacharya, page in-charge a Pandey, Bureau Chief a Pathak, page designer a Mishra, photographer a Dwivedi, senior Assistant Editor a Joshi, circulation Manager a Chaturvedi, marketing manager a Deshpande, and myself a Jha", shot back the extrovert editor. "I am sorry... you have been casteist, partisan and divisive in your query", said the visibly aggrieved editor. "Do you know caste of the boys who serve us?" reasoned the seasoned editor. "Do you know anything about newspaper business", asked the fuming editor. "A newspaper is a product, a la swimsuit. Commoners like you see only designers and models who promote swimsuits, and not farmers who grow the cotton, ordinary hands which translate that cotton into yarn, and lay workers who translate those yarns into swimsuits", explained the philosopher editor. "Please don't degrade our journalistic fraternity... greedy politicians practice affirmative actions as they treat Dalits/Adivasis as their vote bank. The private sector is talking about affirmative action because they see in Dalits/Adivasis prospective consumer bank", said the enlightened editor. "As editors, we are conscience engineers, nation builders. To us, newspaper packer is as important as the editor himself...let us not bring caste in newsrooms...for God's sake", he had concluded with all humility at his command. "Have this plate of idli, and coffee if you wish to... and leave", said the editor of a respected South Indian newspaper. "Please don't degrade our edit page by bringing caste...do we have a Brahmin Diary..?" he asked with total exasperation. "I care not about politicians and greedy private sector - they treat Dalits as vote/consumer banks... we treat Dalits as equal...", added the incensed editor. "Also, please don't degrade the idea of column and columnist... columns are written by intellectuals, scholars, thinkers who are above caste, creed, religion, and ideology", asserted the scholarly editor and left. "... Please don't give me lessons in justice, and equity. I am an internationalist. The newsroom diversity has divided US media on race/ethnic lines", was his parting note. "For God's... please don't divide Hindus on caste lines...", said the editor of large Hindi daily. "Let us not fiddle with God's mandate... God is great... He has assigned work according to abilities...", said the editor. "The Indian media is God's only abode uncontaminated... let us protect it from caste," the editor argued. "Politicians practiced reservation and spoiled democracy, Dalits' tastes. The private sector is planning to practice affirmative action...who will save my India", said the editor. "Child of the renaissance. Thanks for the compliment. I have never claimed this distinction though. Thank you indeed", said the proprietor-editor-anchor of a news channel. "Sorry that it took two and half years for this appointment...", said the rueful proprietor-editor-anchor. "While I admire your moral fibre, I disagree with the awful cause... you know", said the man slipping into deep thoughts. "I have gone through your questionnaire, and quite sympathise with Dalits," said the proprietor-editor-anchor. "But, you have not touched the root of the problem. We must be casteless. All those seeking employment with us must de-caste," he said. "Sorry to say...Dalits don't de-caste", he observed, expressing a sense of sympathy with the Dalit Diary. "I have grown on up values of justice and equality... and will never compromise by bringing caste in my studio", he added with a sense of satisfaction. Cast by caste, who will pioneer the Indian media into a world of reason and togetherness? -- Subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a BLANK email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
