Popular Sony serial CID recently portrayed a TV journalist as a rude character. How correct is the portrayal?  Having been a TV Reporter for many years and having interacted with many, I got into a bit of analysis on this subject. 

Television Journalists  interact with the famous and powerful people.  Soon their audience starts recognising them.  Powerful people including the prime minister recognises many tv journalists by face & name.  They also get to travel with the PM and senior ministers on important state visits.  It is not surprising that a television journalists’ ego is boosted because of all of this. Having met and interacted with some of the well-known tv journalists, I should say many have taken this fame in their stride. They have not allowed the fame and importance they wield to go to their head.  But there are a few who consider themselves to be very powerful and believe it is their right to be arrogant.  Is this arrogance justified should they behave aggressive even off camera?  Well, many may say this is upto the indivdual. This is akin to the hollywood film ‘The Mask’.  In this film when Jim Carrey, the lead actor wears the mask he becomes a comical hero but when the villain wears the same mask he uses the power to become evil. The same may apply to journalists, if a humble gentle person were to become a journalist he will stay humble, while an arrogant person will possibly become rude as he feels powerful.  Sometimes of course the reverse is also possible,  exposure to reality could turn even an aggressive and rude person into a very soft and good human being.

I have had the opportunity to interact with well-known Indian television personalities including Mr. Rajdeep Sardesai, Mr. Karan Thapar, Mr. Rahul Kanwal, Mr. Paranjoy Guha Thakurta… I also had the opporunity to work with some of them.  The aggressive tough interviewers on camera came across as good human beings.  The aggression was absent in their interactions with colleagues or normal people.  

Of course I have also met few TV journalists who believe they have achieved the ultimate success in their lives.  They look at others as inferior human beings.  It is more about the your demeanour than the job.