For the elections of the century, news channels are doing all they can to not only outdo each other but also cover the elections, accurately.
And with half the country already inked, the fight is going to get only tougher. The primetime anchors who are used to the air-conditioned studios have left their comfort zones and are now roaming every length and breadth of the country in the scorching Indian summer.
After the countless exit and voters’ polls and panel discussions, it is now the editors, who have taken upon themselves the task to gauge the mood of the nation. With over 80 lakh polling stations across the country, expenditure nearing Rs 110 crore and 40 lakh polling staff ready for more than 60 crore voters set to exercise their mandate this time, the anchors are venturing out to the villages and city by-lanes to gather ground information from the common man and find out who will they like to see as their new Prime Minister.
In the drive to get the most accurate election coverage, Headlines Today has even got a special bus made. The Dilip Chabaria designer-made Election Express claims to cover over 8,000 kilometers, informing the nation on everything and anything that has to do with elections.
The journo couple, Rajdeep Sardesai and Sagarika Sardesai, of CNN IBN too have covered the various cities to know which candidate will be opted for and why, locally.
The Hindi and regional news channels too have boarded the outdoor express. The debates are taking place out in the open, now.
However, one man (read Arnab Goswami) who knows all the questions which the nation wants to know hasn’t left the four-walled studio. Wonder why?
Is it that he is too used to shouting down at people in the studio or is he is afraid that someone might just yell back at him if he tries to do the same what he does in the studio, out in the open?
Maybe Mr Nation-wants-to-know, who suffers from OCD of not being able to see others talk, feels it to be a waste of time and money to go out to the streets where the real political debates are held.
Imagine even if he did go out to the streets what will happen? Many might just fall on the feet of the ‘Rajnikanth of news.’ That’s quite a possibility.
Hate him or love them, but you cannot ignore him. One has to give him that much credit. And yes, he is that one reason, which makes many switch on Times Now.
So while he did go out to vote (his selfie caught everyone’s attention); it will be a sight, when he actually steps out on the streets, to cover elections.
Wish Mr Goswami listens and comes out of the “shell” to cover the real deal in the Indian summers!
