Breaking News With No News!

I came back from Tehran last week. It was quite peaceful at that time there compare to hysteria being projected on television channels and social networking websites. I am in touch with my colleagues in Tehran and they say that riot and protests they can only see on television screen. Life is quite peaceful over there but hyping the nonexistent is perhaps compulsion of 24x7 news channel.

Before I move let me tell you the truth of Iran elections. Except North Tehran entire country was supporting Ahmadinejad. So the result did not came as surprise who were working there on ground level. But all the media houses are in north of Tehran. All the foreign media people were staying there as this is the richest part of the country. Media reported and projected Mousavi a winner because north of Tehran was crazily going green. Media never stepped out of its convenient zone to know the reality on ground. As media’s projection went horribly wrong, it started creating suspicions of rigging in elections or some sort of wrongdoings in counting of votes just to gain some lost credibility. Some also started warning of another revolutions. It hyped the matter so much that Iran government had to take some regrettable unnecessary precautions which is now being turned as dictatorial steps.

On 13th of June almost half of Tehran was assembled at interior ministry to know the victor. As result came there was some scuffle with police by Mousavi supporters as they could not take defeat so graciously after so much of hype. But that was it. There was no large public protests or riot after that. But media kept showing that footage for 4-5 days and created a riot like situation on small screen. Then some drunk kids (10-12) to get some easy publicity started vandalizing the atm machines and bus depot every evening in African Avenue where all the media people were staying. Those were the fresh pictures. And now as most of foreign media people have been sent out of Iran everyone is depending on youtube pictures only god knows how true they are. I wish if Iran government could have let media report the truth, they could have saved themselves from lots of embarrassments. Media like to report truth but if prohibited from doing so it reports anything to fill the breaking news sections.

This is just one example. I see it happening everyday. In the name of voicing the voiceless media has been setting uncalled pace to lots of false news story. Making huge of something which most of the time does not exist. Almost everyone in this business does it…creating non-fictions from fictitious stories.

This is high time when we should start taking precautions. People are aware now. They can distinguish between a true story and false one. It is affecting media's credibility. If we keep on running on this mad race then time is not far away when people will stop watching news. No, in fact some will keep watching who love fictitious reality shows. But that will surely change our identity which we definitely do not want. Grab the choice please…

i was wrong in announcing unpredictable...

So I was wrong again as media has been most of the time as far as election result predictions are concerned. Recently it happened in India and now here in Iran. Media had virtually declared Mousavi a winner and when result came out it was completely unpredictable.

Perhaps it is because we in media are getting increasingly lazy. We predict on the basis of what we see in capital. But forget that the soul of country like Iran and India lives in countryside...villages. And they do not flow with the waves of capital cities. Its completely different kind of politics there. Countryside votes in the favor of candidate which it finds good for them. And in last five years Ahmedinejad's economic policies have been directed toward unprivileged...poor villagers and not to the wealthies of cities. As result suggests Mousavi was too much a candidate of citi people.

What we need to realize that its gone era when villages used to follow the currents of cities. Its no more the reality. Now if you want village votes, you have to work for villagers...connect to them. And for media honeymoon of reporting from capitals should be over and if we want to predict with even little pragmatism we need to go down further in countryside and report from there. Global village can not be a true fact without voicing the feelings and concern of voiceless.

Ahmadi...bye bye

This seems a green wave sweeping Iran. I have come to Tehran to cover Iranian presidential election and witnessing history being written with loud voices and reformist agendas. Just two minutes ago election has concluded and i have got strong feeling that tomorrow reformist Mousavi is going to emerge victorious considering the fact that it was a large turn up at polling booths.

For last ten days i have been watching crazy enthusiasm on the streets of Tehran. Even from hailing from the greatest democracy i have not seen such kind of madness for election among people. Perhaps people here fade up with clerical agenda and this time voting for a change.

First time i am seeing youngsters and women getting so involve in election campaign. I have been speaking to many youngsters in the street. All want to vote for Mousavi. They talk aggressively and blame Ahmedinejad for alienating Iran from the rest of the world. They believe that Mousavi will be able to take the country back to mainstream. Women want to open up and demanding for a change in constitution which makes them second citizen in every walk of life.

Living here for 10 days and knowing people i can tell that Iran is not what outside world know it for. It is being projected wrongly with vested interest by some nations. Iran is country full of happy people. Mostly you will see them smiling in the street. Of course it is rehearsing democracy, but people are quite matured. Iran is a country which holds key to the peace and stability in middle east. Rest of the world should acknowledge it and help Iran to get back to the track.