Today’s Times Of India, Hyderabad has done a story on the creation of fake profiles on www.orkut.com in Minal Panchal’s name. These pranksters are messaging Minal’s friend to make them believe that as Minal is very much alive, contrary to what the authorities have corroborated.
Well, apart from the pranksters on the Internet, a couple exist in the real word as well. Mr. Sajeev Kumarapuram, who ironically has written the above story. The journalist has shown his insensitivity, and that too in the very first sentence of the article. Here’s screenshot of the page:
An excerpt:
Minal’s life ravaged on Net too
Sajeev Kumarapuram | TNN Hyderabad: I’m back, says
Minal’s ghost from the loony world of cyberspace.
Is this how the mainstream media should refer to a departed souls? Isn’t this disrespectful? Even a class 4 child will be able to sense the disrespect the reporter has shown in this story. I doubt if a copy editor even had a read of this story before it went to the press? If yes, then the copy editor too, along with Sajeev be reprimanded in the true sense of the word.
There wasn’t any need to bring such distasteful humor in such a story, because this incident itself is so serious. I never knew Minal and even then am feeling so sorry at her demise, imagine how Minal’s family and friends would would feel if they were to read this.
As a human being, I can only suggest that either Sajeev should not write on such sensitive, or he should first learn what responsible journalism is.
Hi Sajeev,
Rather surprised on seeing your comment. Not too many journalists scour the Internet for feedback on their stories.
Anyways, I wrote the post to express my disgust after reading your story, or rather just the first sentence, the rest of it was pretty well written. You are open to public criticism as we readers trust you to supply us with credible and well-written news. On the other hand, my blog is my opinion, people may or may not subscribe to. The days of newspapers being categorized as monologues are long gone. it is all about expressing one’s feelings about news, and even about how it was presented by a publication.
That article in the TOI gave you a platform to express your thoughts at that moment. To be fair to myself, I have quoted you, and not concocted something using my imagination. Yes, I am spreading the word around, but you of all the people should be ok with it, because that is precisely what you do as a journalist with TOI.
Hi Mr. Manu,
I appreciate your effort for blogging the ‘insensitivity’.
But by spreading a word on the same and by quoting from the story, was the blogger showing what the sense of a class 4 child is? Or the lack of it? Should you too be reprimanded, with the same sense of the word?
But as another human being, my sincere thanks for the reaction. Will try to do more responsible journalism, within my limits.
Regards…