Tabloid Journalism-Salman Khan's case is just an example

Entertainment news is the only news these days

I find it difficult to digest how the newspapers today crave only for publicity. “Virat Kohli wishes Anushka Sharma Happy birthday” this is also news. I think certain newspapers did not give Nepal’s devastating earthquake as much coverage as it is giving to Salman Khan’s verdict over his hit and run case. Or is it in the earthquake case I should say that the media was irritatingly hyperactive? I think the newspapers have become news makers, blowing insignificant things out of proportion and leaving the important news behind. A profession as noble as journalism, seems so much like a means of tapping things that caters to public demand and serving it hot to them. National crisis is just a meagre topic compared to what Sunny Leone had to say on Rakhi Sawant’s nonsense comment on her. 

Some celebrities are children of this media and are celebrities because of it

Truly it is an era of tabloid journalism. Who cares what is significant, whatever sells is good. And this the reason why personalities like Rakhi Sawant are so called celebrities and are earning like hell. Any publicity is good, positive or negative but today this statement is so omnipresent, that as a literate and opinionated reader of news I feel nauseated. This shit has to stop. There was a time when a newspaper used to be a source of gaining knowledge and elders urged youngsters to read every day. Today a parent is scared to hand over the same to his/her adolescent child, because besides news the papers will definitely have on display pictures of skimpily clad movie stars or news about affairs, adultery or public display of  affection. All news is entertainment news today.

There are many celebrities who are taking benefit out of this wrecked situation. Just recently Salman Khan’s sentence was announced for his hit and run case and newspapers, social media was almost instantaneously abuzz with the news.

Actor Salman Khan

Every minute detail from Salman’s subtle reaction to his outburst was captured and shared. All right, it is fine that he is public figure and is a brand in himself, we might even enjoy his craft but there has to be a line drawn. There are two sides of the coin, one is undue blowing out of proportion and another intruding personal space. Besides celebrities like Abhijit Bhattacharya, who is a singer and composer, tweeted such obnoxious tweets (“Kutta rd pe soyega kutte ki maut marega, roads garib ke baap ki nahi hai I ws homles an year nvr slept on rd”).Off course even a child can pretty well see his cheap PR skills and use of media to get a share of limelight.

Singer Abhijit Bhattacharya on Salman Khan

But my intent of writing this narrative is not to talk about Abhijit or Sunny Leone in particular. It is about stopping this nuisance in the name of entertainment and journalism. While many celebs use this kind of media uproar to remain and retain their publicity, negative or positive does not matter, I am pretty sure there are those who detest this encroachment. I think the time to discard nonsense articles and becoming choosy about what and how we want to entertain ourselves has come, because if demand isn’t there I am sure the supply will reduce too. At least we the ones who have been blessed to see the light of education must start this movement of choosing the correct news for us.

Aritra Chakrabarty Sengupta