Is the Media creating wrong kind of celebrities?

Yes celebrities are not created by the media. Thanks for the referral Ms.Pinky.

It is simply wrong to compare newspaper and radio with TV, as TV content gets pushed on the basis of people meters. The program content is absolutely 100% in the hands of the people unlike newspaper and radio. To say that the choice is between bad and worse is 100% untrue as there is good content on TV but one should have the discretion to judge good content.

we cannot fully blame on media for all this. somewhr we are also responsible for it. As most of people saying "Media only shows what we want to see". partially this may be true. But think about the childrens, who dosnt have sense about what is  good or bad. for them whomever person coming on tv. is a star. they start to follow him/her. Media must should try to concerntate over providing good and knowledgeble stuff inspite of providing rough material just for TRP. !! 

Just a few pointed responses:

1) Arundati Roy is not only a novelist; she has  published essays, written a TV screenplay, acted in a movie, written as a contributor to a non-fiction book (whose proceeds go to a non-profit) and done substantial work as an activist. She has been in jail for contempt of court for taking up a good cause. If she speaks in public and gets applauded and does something unique, should the media not question her at all?

2) i) Just as there are various options for watching movies, there are various channels to choose from. If the public can reject a movie, what stops them from rejecting a channel or a particular programme/segment in a channel. The people meters are tracking viewership so advertising money will flow towards what people are watching.

ii) It is not factually correct to say that trashy movies don't make money or that sensible movies are doing well.

iii) Because of multiplexes, you can have a housefull even with a small audience and the multiplex can offer a variety of movies and de-risk from offering one movie only. Trying to expolate from this situation to the media industry is like comparing apples to oranges.

3) Media is indeed dependent on people's perception and perception can make or break a media house. For instance, if the public perception of Amitabh Bachchan is that he's not a good host, then the media house will not contract him. If perception does not matter to media houses, then media houses would not spend so much time, effort and money in getting Amitabh Bachchan on TV.

4) It's factually incorrect to say that we are forced to watch. There is always the remote control which can be used to change to an educational channel.

5)Why should the media houses take it upon themselves to show only good news?  Someone has to bear the message that the Emperor has no clothes. India is ranked among the most corrupt countries so why should anyone be surprised if corruption gets covered. India Shining cannot be the media's motto -- because if such a motto is adopted then it will meet the same fate as the party which used this motto.

6) Some people criticising the media for not giving coverage to achievers don't like it when the achiever says someone that differs from their point of view. In such a case, it's not a question of the media not giving coverage but a question of people wanting achievers to toe their line. In other words, this is similar to some vengeful reporter presenting some celebrity in a bad light when the celebrity will not give the answers that are desired.

Very correctly said, Ms. Pinky.

I support your views.

We , people make someone celebrity.Media is just putting the reality.

MEDIA IS JUST FOR ENTERTAINMENT AND TIMEPASS SO DONT TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.MEDIA DOTN TEACH US OR DONT GIVES IDEA ABOUT WHAT IS GOOD AND WHAT IS WRONG ,WHO IS GREAT AND WHO IS NOT,

I completly disagree with this statement that media is creating wrong kind of celebrities. It is not the media but the people who are creating wrong kind of celebrities. Media only shows those news which the people want to hear and take more interest in hear. It is totally upto the peoples perception to take any person as celebrity.The news channels which are showing single news again and again which is not of any worth and that programs TRP is very much high. If people like to watch those type of programs then media is bound to show them because they are here to do business. Being a good businessmen they will show those kind of programs which will give them good profits.

Media is a very powerful vehicle to influence the mind of the people. However, under a free media policy, the media has the right to publish any type of news provided bias is not evidenced. However, in order to garner more viewership, media may sensationalize many events.

However, in this regard, the individual has the option to ignore such claims based on the facts. But if you and many individuals focus on these events, then the event or the person becomes a celebrity.

Hence, media is an ally in the dissemination of information among the masses. They may or may not sensationalize the news. However, it is entirely depending on the individual to sift the grain from the chaff....

Thanks for your referral, Pinky....

well its for us to understand. If someone like Rakhi Sawant a celebrity to you, yes, media created her. I understand, they try to create a show. Can you write Ramayana without a Ravana? They try to write Ramayana every time, but only if they are able to create a Ram against him. They make a show. They always have this Ravana in focus. They live on the fact that someday some Ram will come to kill him and they will hit jackpot for writing Ramayan. This is what I presume. I really don't like calling Rakhi Sawant a celebrity. I pity them for selling their life to earn a living.

Media does create a celebrity out of a wrong person. No arguments in that. But it is us who make them right or wrong. If you choose to ignore someone then he ceases to become a celebrity but if you rave and rant about this person same as the media does, he becomes a celebrity.

So the power is in our hands and we ought to use it judiciously.

Media echoes, the voices of the Celebs & writing about one's activity - Clandestine / in clandestine to the Public . Otherwise, it remains unknown to the World . It is the People to infer the right from the wrong. Because, media does business as part of their Job. The advent of media, popularize the role of Celebs & every field try to take advantage of it. Be it Art, Music, Film, Literature, etc, their role in society is enriched by media. It is not confined to smaller group as it was . Also, as the trend grows elsewhere, society tries to copy / dub the same to us.

Yes, there are instances of media not being encouraging enough towards the right role models(like Olympic medal winners, gallantry award winners, etc), and Yes, some undeserving people are being free publicity(such as Rahul Mahajan, etc) but I would still strongly argue for No, as many people are celebrities to begin with (like Arundati Roy) and they have not become celebrities because the media encouraged them, and that even if the media ignored them they would continue to be celebrities. In any case, an author like Arundati Roy will continue to be a celebrity as long as her book is sold in stores and at traffic signals and the streets and even if her book is banned.

And also I would have to argue for No because many of the actions of celebrities like Arundati Roy deserve to be covered because their actions (like supporting Independent Kashmir while simultaneously questioning Geelani about the rights of Kashmiri Pundits in the Independent Kashmir being demanded, even while some political party start shouting angry slogans) are unique and people need to be informed about such actions regardless of which stance we take on these action, as this information helps to shape the direction the country takes.

Yes Pinky I agree with you. Once media focus on some personality it is not necessary he or she will become a celebrity. It is we who makes or for that matter transform a personality to celebrity.

yaaaaaaaaa its true ,Celebraties created by us not by media.But media gives huge and unnecessarily publicity to them