The unfortunate analogy

Barkha Dutt and Rishi Dhamala

I was shocked to learn about the downfall of two self-styled heroes of journalism in South Asia: Barkha Dutt and Rishi Dhamala. Obviously, there’s no comparison between Dutt and Dhamala except that the fall of the two self-righteous ‘celebrity’ journalists have been fueled by the new media. As the television corners ordinary people in favor of the glitterati, blogs provide the people a powerful platform to express themselves in any way they choose to communicate.


'Heroine of revelations': Barkha Dutt at the recent Jaipur Literary Fest (Prat/Picasa)

Barkha Dutt, the Hindustan Times columnist and the group editor of English news at New Delhi Television, believed she could silence a blogger with threat of a lawsuit for criticizing the way she covered the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai. (Read Shoddy Journalism, Irresponsible and Withdrawal of Shoddy Journalism). Dutt might have thought she could 'regulate' the blogosphere but her overriding faith on herself has certainly backfired.

Follow-up:
A humorous take on the scandal
Bloggers’ feedback on her poor judgment
Dutt’s response to the criticism
Here’s what people have to say about her response
Many respondents in a Newswatch survey felt she was the most theatrical/worst anchors/reporters during the Mumbai attack.
Media lessons from Mumbai


Mr. Ubiquitous (without a tie): Dhamala "joins the prime minister in disembarking through the ramp at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi." (Prashant Jha/Nepali Times, Sep 2008 )

Dhamala, the Nepal’s Reporter’s Club president, is (or rather was) certainly loathed and ridiculed for his ‘special appearance’ in almost all the television news shows. “Dhamala doesn’t miss a single press conference!” one of my previous bosses once said trying to boost my morale during my reporting days. While other journalists went to cover news, he reached every press meet to be covered by the television crew. On Wednesday, he was arrested for his alleged links with Ranbir Sena — a Hindu terrorist outfit in Nepal.

Anirban Roy reports for The Hindustan Times:

Nepal Police arrested Rishi Dhamala, president of Reporters' Club, for his close links with a terrorist outfit engaged in serial blasts across Nepal. . . . Interestingly, all the Ranvir Sena cadres have been operating in Kathmandu, and have been claiming to be journalists. They have been identified as Subhak Mahato, Manoj Mahato and Birendra Kumar Mehta. . . The Ranvir Sena cadres confessed that Dhamala has been assisting them in their extortion drive, especially in negotiating with business establishments. . . . Dhamala is very active politically, and is reportedly very close to a lot of ministers and even diplomats.

Ekantipur reports that Dhamala called the charges a "state-sponsored conspiracy" to defame journalists!

"The government has framed me," Dhamala told journalists. "If proven guilty, I am ready to quit the profession."

Blogs:
Citizens vent anger in a public forum
A detailed coverage on Mysansar (I know, I know it's not a news site!!! but a blog that definitely rocks!)
Recommended:
Dishing the Dirt: Gossips just about Nepali Media People