We have heard the Christians telling us that it is said in The Bible that Jesus walked on water. Also, similar events were created by illusionists to prove their point that they are the greatest magicians in the world until a vexed counterpart exposed the trick. But, a certain person whose name starts with 'B' and ends with 'T' would be "walking on air" ergo defying the physics of gravity as promulgated by Newton and giving the walking-on-water illusionists a run for their money. So, who is this mysterious personality? If you don't wish to find out, you may skip to the 3rd paragraph. The choice is yours.
As the irrational and stupid terrorists buggers are causing unnecessary skirmishes at the borders with our Indian Army using fire, Arnab Goswami dropped a bombshell that he is resigning from the Times Now which engendered a tremendous temblor and vibrating flutter amongst the Indian Media Fraternity. The happiest person in the world, when the announcement of his statement which broke out a couple of days back, would have been the same person whom I referred earlier in the previous para. Arnab's contemporary in NDTV.
As a kid, I used to watch 'We the People' that was aired on Sundays. I don't even know whether it's being done now as I had severed ties with NDTV post the Radiagate in 2010/11 and shifted my allegiance to Times Now after evaluating the other media weren't catering upto my expectations. But, as long as I used to devour the talk show, it was just for Barkha for the way she used to take the arguments and discussions to its logical conclusion. From the many comments that I have been reading lately and in the recent past on her, it is extremely evident that she has grossly misplaced her priorities especially on matters of national security. Will she change? I don't know. But, a small hope in me says that she should because of all the wonderful memories that she had created for me in my childhood days.
Whenever I had free time after my long and tiring work hours, I used to see Arnab Goswami's The Newshour on specific topics of my interest ever since 2011 especially the famous RaGa interview. I was bursting out with immense laughter and wondered how Arnab Goswami remained to be so unflustered without even twitching a muscle during the entire course of the interview. Then, it hit me that he might have had hysterically ROFLed privately.
With time on my hands currently, I am able to scrutinize him further now beyond the peripherals. There is no doubt that ever since Arnab's journey began with The Newshour that he has always been rude and rambunctious. He is ruthlessly aggressive. He is rough and tough. He is highly opinionated. However, his questions are precise, pointed, incisive and penetrative when he makes his scathing attacks on his panelists.
But, Arnab Goswami viciously confronts only the person's stand and not the person themselves. There is a thin line that separates between the two which people momentarily confuse, get offended because of the heat of the moment and leave his shows. Some might say he does it for the TVTs. Others may opine he does it for sensational dramaticism to get more eyeballs and impressions. However, Arnab Goswami really wears his heart on his sleeve, okay Suit!, making his point crystal clear than hide behind the veil of neutral stand. He doesn't pussyfoot around important topics of national interest.
No one can ever question that the show is rigged and the panel is under his thumb.
Arnab Goswami has his heart in the right place. Why else would he receive terror calls and be given Y-security? He is doing something right which is why certain fringe elements are irked by his questioning in his programme thus questioning his security cover. He had made an extremely positive impact in The Newshour that lead to Manoj Nayaks arrest during the hospital fire in Odisha. One just case to prove that he has his heart set in transformational journalism and not nickel and dime PR stunts.
Like a cheetah chasing its prey, the despisers of Arnab will throw daggers at me by asking how I know that Arnab Goswami is really the person he is on TV and not doing/saying things for garnering public support which has resulted in Times Now having an unparalleled edge over its competitors.
The answer is very simple. I have no idea as I haven't interacted with him on a personal level and all that I know about him is only through my observations in the 2 hours vociferous and heated debates.
However, we must remember that Times Now is a business venture and exists for making profits by selling the product called news. So, even IF he does things to generate revenue for Times Now with his antics during the vehement polemics, he is still a better person than his peers when it comes to presenting his own unvarnished truths on sensitive issues in the right manner.
But, one thing is certain. From a Marketing perspective, The Newshour is a solid diamond mine for any brand to be associated with to reach out to potential millions of consumers swiftly and effortlessly. Times Now can dictate their own diktats and drive a hard bargain with the advertisers due to the phenomenal success of Arnab Goswami's intense and passionate display of tough aggression by verbally assassinating the participants when they either circumlocute or beat around the bush or dodge or keep mum to his questions.
Few of you might ask me as to what I may get after writing this blog now:
Yeah. Right. Arnab Goswami will take his time to read a virtually stranger's blog and appoint me to the currently vacant Editor-in-Chief of Times Now..! (If you don't get the sarcasm, I am not responsible!)
People do only those things for which they care about. Be it in your vocation or avocation. After having watched him for more than 6 years, from my standpoint, I felt that Arnab has sculptured and chiselled a unique position for himself by his unabashed opinions as he has clearly understood that the right perception creation is the need of the hour to make an intended positive change in our country which is deeply entrenched with cynicism and misguided views.
The Newshour already bore the brunt last week when the numbers of their twitter handle plummeted because of his absence. It was not that the replacement news anchors were not good but it is solely due to the fact that Arnab's brief hiatus generated such a relatively poor viewership. God only knows what will be the actual effect when he no longer does The Newshour.
So, I decided to put forth my views as it was the apt time to a deserved person who is sundered and shredded to pieces by some section of the media just like how our PM is blasted to smithereens for everything and anything that happens in the country. We live in a democracy. Everyone has got their own way of thinking. But, whether that mode of mind operation is right or wrong? That's what the Nation wants to know!
X--Concluded--X
:P