Online Media As It Stands Today

Academics and professionals have already arrived at a consensus that Internet publication has acquired a journalistic status equal to that of print media, radio and television. Internet publications have also provided a fillip to the communication companies as they consider Internet as a strategic factor for their progress in future.

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Online journalism is relatively new in India but in the west it has taken deep roots. Web masters and content writers abound in the field of IT. Some of them make news from newspapers, magazine and websites in typical glossy formats while others operate as full news portals where the reporters write reports from the place of the event which is then edited and placed on the website. Presently in the west Internet journals have already mastered the web and started making their presence felt on the info-sub-highway. Many Internet journalists get support from the print media that put up their web sites on the Net. Some others depend upon print media, wire news services and the Net to gather news and information.

India woke up to the potentiality of cyber world quite late in 1995. To start with, Internet was accessible only in the four metro cities. Computer penetration was very low. However, penetration started to improve as the price of computers came down and private service providers embarked on the scene.

By 2007, India had an estimated base of 42 million Internet users, which was 3.6% of the world users. Although this base was far below the Internet users of USA, China, Japan or Germany, India ranked fifth in the list of top twenty countries using Internet.

Unlike conventional back lit flat panel displays, electronic paper displays reflect light like ordinary paper. Its technological edge is that it can hold static text and images indefinitely without using electric while providing the option to change images later.

In India, many reputed newspapers and magazines have already made foray into Internet. Some prominent examples are www.hindustantimes.com, www.timesofindia.com , www.frontline.com . On line journalism is a marriage of journalism and the Internet technology.

The newspapers did not invest much on the Web sites during the nineties, a decade marked by a steep rise in the number of Web pages. Online journals reformatted content from the newspapers and posted them on their website.

More than a third of active Internet users – 56 million adult – visited newspaper Web sites in May 2006, a 30 percent increase from the same period in 2005, according to Nielsen/Net Rating. These website users are predominantly young, better educated and active Internet users.

For newspaper website users, the printed newspaper is still the primary sources for local advertising but the newspaper websites beat TV, Radio and Yellow Pages as the next best source.

There are some disadvantages of online media. Eyestrain is a major problem followed by backache which breaks the back of the Net surfer. Internet Addition Disorder (IAD) can lead to restlessness, stress and depression. The Net has not reached most parts of the country. Its reach is not still at desired level. Currently the bandwidth of the country's ISP is less vis-à-vis those of foreign ISPs. This act as hindrance to the forward march of online media. However, despite the problems, the future looks bright.

About the Author- 

Priya Panda is student of Journalism and Mass Communication at Muralidhar Girl's College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and they do not reflect in any way those of the Dispassionate Observer.

Recapturing the community through team spirit

Over the past few months, messages about new local social groups and clubs have been popping up a lot on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. It’s part of a trend that has steadily been gaining steam over the past few years – the “meet up” craze, where people with a shared interest get together to socialise and chat, and participate in whatever their chosen hobby is. However, it looks like the craze has got legs, as the popularity of these groups shows no sign of waning. But what is the secret of their appeal?

In my opinion, the blueprint for these groups’ success comes from the original “meet up” group – the sports team. You know the ones, perhaps you have seen the rowing club or running group in their matching personalised hoodies. Obviously, these teams present a great opportunity for you to meet people with the same interest – and of course you often necessarily need at least a few people to play a lot of sports – but these would be unlikely to last if there wasn’t that “x-factor” that makes you choose to spend your spare time at that particular place, with those particular people.

The answer lies, I believe, in the sense of community and “belonging” that the group environment creates. Science tells us that human beings have an innate compulsion to socialise, and to be able to socialise with people who share our common interests (as opposed to say, people you work with, who you may or may not necessarily choose to spend your time with normally), is the happiest realisation of this need. In sports groups, whether it’s a swimming team, local cricket club or even a fantasy football league, you’re working towards a common goal, which fosters a real sense of community and team spirit – you feel part of something. Plus, there is often the opportunity further develop this camaraderie off-pitch, as most sports teams will socialise even once the game is over. You can take your common interest, and build it into a friendship.

Joining a team can be a daunting experience, especially if you’re a beginner. But it’s invariably worth it, as it’s a chance to learn new skills in an encouraging and supportive environment. With the vast amount of choice out there, it’s easy to find a team or group that will suit your skill level, so you can learn together. And aside from the obvious health benefits of doing sports, there is even evidence to suggest that there are additional health benefits of taking exercise with others. Research has found that social contact can help reduce the risk of cancer, improve mental health and even reduce blood pressure.

Taking part in a team or group, whether sports-related or not, allows us to build up those close-knit social bonds that in today’s fragmented world are so much harder to cultivate in the natural course of your day-to-day life. It’s a need we must nurture – so I think the group phenomenon is here to stay.

About the Author- 

This article was written by Louise from HoodieTee, a supplier of personalised hoodies for clubs, schools and sports groups.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and they do not reflect in any way those of the Dispassionate Observer.

Anna Stiffens Stand: The Nation Rallies

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Anna Hazare, a representative of 120 crore Indian people, raised his voice against corruption in India so vociferously that even the Government is now shaken to the core. The huge support among masses made him stronger to exert pressure on Government of India to enact the Jan Lokpal Bill, a strong anti corruption act.

Kisan Baburao Hazare, renowned as Anna Hazare, has remarkably contributed to the development of a village in Maharashtra, Ralegan Siddhi. He was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1992 by Government of India for his excellent effort to establish Ralegan Siddhi as a model village. 

 

On 5^th April, 2011 he started ‘fast unto death’ at Jantar Mantar in Delhi for the enactment of Jan Lokpal Bill. The Bill speaks of a law to establish Lokpal with enough power to deal with corruption in public offices. Govt assured him of giving heed to most of the demands & the fast ended after 4 days. This activity got a nationwide support.

In 2011 Anna has become one of the most influential public personalities in India. The 73-year-old Gandhian initiated Satyagraha movement to move public opinion against corruption & to make government aware that we the ordinary people will no longer tolerate the corrupt system. He got support from many famous social activists, including Arvind Kejriwal, Medha Patkar, Kiran Bedi & so on. Thousands of people showed support to the movement on internet via social media like facebook, twitter etc. Online Signature Campaigns like ‘Avaaz’ got 6.5 lakh signatures in just 36 hours. Many celebrities also supported his protest.

On 16^th August Anna Hazare planned a hunger strike in Jay Prakash Narain Park for stronger Lokpal Bill. However, he got arrested in his own residence in the morning when he refused to sign the bond under section 144. Govt did this to avoid media attention that the issue would get if it was done at the place of the agitation. Seven protestors including Kiran Bedi & Arvind Kejriwal were also sent to jail. Orders came for release of Anna after being remanded in 7-day judicial custody. Government had fears that if Anna spend 7 days in jail, public support will go in favor of him. But he refused to come out of Tihar Jail as he made it clear that he would come out only if he is given the permission to fast at J.P. Park, the original planned venue. Hundreds of people gathered outside the Jail in support of Hazare. Anna continued his fast in the jail. Till reports last flew in the fast is taking place in Tihar in place of J.P. Park to keep the movement alive.

A meeting was held by Congress Government in the centre to decide on a compromise formula to steer clear of the present situation. They also deliberated upon whether the Prime Minister makes a statement in Parliament on this issue. The Government arrived at a decision to give Anna the right to carry out his movement for seven to ten days at Ramlila Maidan & there will be no restriction on people who want to join in the fast. This decision, however, failed to make the situation better as Anna refused the compromise formula and wanted a fast for thirty days. He declared that he would not go for any consideration & he did not come out from jail till the time of publication of this article.

In evening his supporters did a candle march in protest of the Government's role at India Gate. Not only in Delhi, allover India people showed support for Anna’s movement through rally or candle march. In midst of all these happenings Anna suddenly fell sick in Tihar jail this evening & a team of doctors rushed for his treatment. 

Sickness has not deterred Anna Hazare from his movement to see a corruption free India. The awareness of ordinary citizens right is fast catching up with the nation. One can hope for better days in future with young people in India eager to follow in his footsteps.

About the Author- 

Shayani Gupta is student of Journalism & Mass Communication at Muralidhar Girls College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and they do not reflect in any way those of the Dispassionate Observer.

Taarif Karun Keya Ushki Jisne Tumhe Banaya, The Junglee star : No More

“Shammi ji........ An entire life full of optimism and happy spirit, caring loving to all.......... Now suddenly silent.”- Amitabh Bachchan.

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50 years ago who gave millions of Indians the famous word ‘Yahoo’ is no more. The veteran actor Shammi Kapoor , hailed as ‘Elvis Presley of India’ and whose famous yell ‘Chahe Koi Mujhe Jangli Kahe’ signified the arrival of a rebel star against the reigning trio of his time Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand and Dilip Kumar, passed away here on Sunday morning due to chronic renal failure.

Brother Raj Kapoor brought out the pathos of the masses, Dilip Kumar taught that tragedy is all ,Dev Anand made the believe in romance but it was Shammi Kapoor who hammered home the message that being sexy is fun. His style of dancing was compared to Elvis Presley’s. It was also action packed. He rolled , jumped and did everything, which heroes of his time would have never done or even thought of.

The true blue flower child of the 60s Shammi Kapoor was born as Shamsher Raj Kapoor on October 21, 1931 in Mumbai. His father was the great theatre and film doyen, Prithviraj Kapoor. Shammi Kapoor was the second of the three sons born to Prithviraj (the other two being Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor), both of whom were, like their father, successful Bollywood actors. Though born in Mumbai, he spent a major portion of his childhood in Kolkata as his father was involved with New Theatres. He did his Montessory and Kindergarten in Kolkata. After coming back to Mumbai he first went to St.Joseph’s Convent and then to Don Bosco School and after that he finished his schooling from New Era School at Hughes Road. He went on to study engineering before entering the world of cinema with Jeevan Jyoti in 1953. Shammi Kapoor had a short stint at Ruia College in Matunga Mumbai. After that he joined his father’s theatrical company ‘Prithvi Theatres’.

Shammi ji like his elder brother Raj Kapoor got involved in both theatre and films. In his younger days he was with a pencil moustache and lanky figure and used to look too much like Raj Kapoor. Hence in the initial years he got similar social dramas like Rail Ka Dibba with a very young Madhubala. He entered in cinema world in 1948 as a junior artist at a salary of Rs 150 per month. He stayed with ‘Prithvi Theatres’ for the next four years and collected his last pay check of Rs 300 in 1952.

Much like Amitabh Bachchan later, most of Shammi’s initial films turned out to be huge flops at the box office.Despite acting with the biggest of heroines like Madhubala,Nutan,Suraiya,he just didn’t click with the audience. And then came the makeover. Perhaps taking a cue from the men making waves in the west at that time,James Dean and the Beatles, Shammi shaved off his pencil moustache and shaped his hair in the famous ducktail style. Tunsa Nahin Dekha in 1957 finally worked wonders and the new Shammi , channelizing an easy, infections energy , besides the change in appearance was a hit. His rebellious image was further endorsed by hits like Dil Deke Dekho (1959) and Junglee (1961) which made him the definite challenger to the Dilip-Raj-Dev troika. Films like Dil tera Deewana(1962), Professor(1962), Rajkumar (1964) , Janwar (1965) and Teesri Manzil (1966) further added to his box office charisma. In Brahmachari(1968) he got his Film Fare Award for best actor playing a man who ran an orphanage for abandoned children.

In the 1970s, Kapoor’s weight problem proved an obstacle in his path of success and ended his career as a romantic hero. One of his last hits , in which he played the lead role, was Andaz(1971). With time, he moved to character roles and acted in films like Zameer, Hero and Vidhata. In 1974 he donned the hat of a director and made Makoranian. Two years later he made Bandalbaaz(1976). However, both the films failed to create magic at the box office. His last appearance as a character role was in the film Sandwich in 2006. Recently he decided to act with his great nephew Ranbir Kapoor in Imtiaz Ali’s next movie Rockstar.

Professional success was marred by personal tragedy as he lost the love of his life Geeta Bali to small pox in 1965. They had a son Aditya Raj Kapoor and a daughter Kanchan. After that Kapoor lost heart and reportedly took to alcohol and food for solace. In 1969, he married Neela Devi Gohil from the Royal Family of Bhavnagar in Gujarat.

Always a man of technology Shammi ji took to the Internet in a big way and become the founder and chairman of the Internet User Community of India. It helped to set up many more cyber organisations in India.

Kapoor was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital on 7^th August 2011. He was suffering from chronic renal failure. His condition remained serious for next few days , kept under ventilator support. However, the actor passed away on 14^th August 2011, 05:15 am at the age of 79.

We pray to Almighty to bless his soul.........

“ Ho Sake To Lout Ke Aana” 

About the Author- 

Priya Panda is student of Journalism and Mass Communication at Muralidhar Girl's College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and they do not reflect in any way those of the Dispassionate Observer.

The Story Behind the London Riots

Anger Sparked by Tragic London Shooting

On Thursday, August 4th, a Scotland Yard police officer shot and killed a London man named Mark Duggan, 29, while attempting to arrest him. The officer indicated later that he fired under the belief that he and his fellow officers were in mortal danger.

An illegal firearm found at the scene is thought to have been in Duggan's possession and is still undergoing ballistics tests to determine if it was fired, although preliminary results suggest that the weapon was not used against the arresting officers.

The tragedy occurred in a neighborhood called Tottenham, a low income, ethnically diverse area in North London. As news of the shooting spread a sense of unrest and injustice grew among the area's residents, inflamed by the fact that a statement by law enforcement officials regarding the shooting was not immediately given.

Law Enforcement Overwhelmed by Rioters

Two days later on August 6th, an initially peaceful march of more than 200 London protesters angered by Duggan's death became ugly as members of the group turned against police with violence that included throwing missiles and setting cars and buildings around the neighborhood ablaze.

Outright looting began after midnight in the Tottenham Hale Retail Park, and law enforcement officers in the area were quickly overwhelmed by the large number of rioters. The violence spiraled out of control throughout the night, with vandals breaking glass storefronts, pillaging shops and burning empty shelves. Fires smoldering in emptied stores and in cars on the street kept fire crews working throughout the day.

Escalation of Anarchy

Over the next two days the riots escalated further, with looting and general lawlessness peaking in the wee hours of each morning. With London youths spurred on by a sense of anarchy, chaos quickly spread to neighborhoods around Tottenham and even outside of London. By August 9th, violence had been reported in nearly all boroughs of London, and a police station in the British city of Birmingham had been set on fire.

News statistics report more than 1,000 people arrested and five killed in connection with the week of rioting. To deal with the enormous number of detainees, London courts were forced to work through the night for several days in a row. The damage to already impoverished communities left London residents in a state of shock, afraid for their safety and personal property.

Motives of a Mob

The rapid spread of destruction perpetrated mostly by young, lower income London citizens has raised widespread speculation about the motives behind the turmoil. Many theories point to a combination of anger at the British government, a feeling of unimportance in society and pure opportunism as possible reasons that a mob mentality grew so quickly.

Recently enacted austerity measures, including sweeping cuts to public programs such as community youth centers for the poor have left many members of the British lower class feeling abandoned, with a growing fear for their futures in education and employment. This sentiment, coupled with a sense of restlessness at the lack of jobs and the public outcry against the police at the shooting of Mark Duggan could have created the perfect storm of emotion in which the riots began.

While the debate over the motives behind the London riots continues and politicians use the tragedy as a platform for their own agendas, the citizens of Tottenham and its outlying areas will quietly go about rebuilding their lives. Average citizens armed with household cleaning items have begun clearing the rubble from the streets, proving that dignity can prevail in the face of fear and anger.

About the Author-

Eric Johnson is a contributing writer at privatestudentloan.org .


Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and they do not reflect in any way those of the Dispassionate Observer.

India at 65

The clock turned twelve at midnight and one could clearly hear the crackers bursting. India's Independence became 65 years old. Like any other year celebrations were lined up seven days in advance for this special event. Patriotic songs were blaring from sound systems reminding us of the great heritage of the nation. Earlier in the evening as I moved past one of the pandals constructed for the purpose the portraits of our great freedom fighters caught my imagination. Suddenly I was feeling good about being an Indian. I basked in the glory of this new-found patriotism for some time before feeling somewhere something was wrong. I pondered over my new dilemma. How come till the last day I was not feeling in this way? Whats wrong with me?

                                         picture source: Munna Kumar (picasa)

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Well this dilemma is not unique in my case, most of my country men suffer from this dilemma. One day remember those who sacrificed their future for the nation and the next day its business as usual! Two days later these great portraits are just trivial decorative items which must be kept in oblivion. No one can be blamed for this also. The world that we leave in is too busy to get stuck on one issue. Time is money and time is of essence!!

Indian Independence was no doubt hard-fought but it is a pity that our present great leaders of the nation are working over time to make it look listless. In fact their present activities are just in contrary to what Mahatma Gandhi would have liked them to do. Corruption is eating the country from within, a fact acknowledged by the President of India also in her address to the nation. Questions abound on the way the administrative machinery of the country is functioning. Problem of over population and environmental decay are constant irritants.

However, it is not proper to be cynic about the country's present scenario. A growing thought that every machinery of the country has fallen apart is the result of the manner in which media portray issues. There are problems but there are emerging silver linings as well. The latest furor over the Lok Pal Issue is classic example of a nation which has started to come out of its comfort zone and taking stock of situations. People are increasingly becoming aware of their own rights and are fighting for it. The day is not far when truly it will be a people's democracy and not democracy at the mercy of the political leaders. It is also encouraging to see that voices are growing louder among sane politicians to stop the institutionalised graft that is plaguing the nation.

                           
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Our armed forces are always a source of strength. On this 65th Independence Day we can celebrate because there are men of steel who are maintaining strict vigil over our borders. The internal security situation of the country is becoming complex by the day because of separatist forces and Naxalites who are posing constant threats. Pakistan and China continue to be hostile neighbours. India's defence preparedness is making international experts feel that it is on course to become a global military power. The forces are quickly modernising themselves to meet any challenges. If the experts are to be believed India will continue to assert itself as a regional power in the Indian Ocean. The country is developing strategic partnerships with different nations to bolster its modern military capabilities.

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Great nations are not made in a day. Failures are part of the way forward. It is a fact that there are numerous issues which pull the nation backwards but it needs to be felt as well that many positive events also add to its strength. Presently it is a mixed bag of unfulfillment and fulfillment. Hope next time when the clock strikes 12 at midnight the country has gone few miles forward towards prosperity and happiness for all sections of the population.

Let Children Breathe

Children and innocence go hand in hand. When we utter the word children automatically sweet, cute, joyful nature and especially innocence comes to our mind.Children likes to play, they have all naughty tricks in their mind. They always wait for opportunities to try pranks on others but slowly it is fading away from our society.

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When a baby rests peacefully in his mother’s arm, he is very innocent. That time he is free of corruption, torture, pressure (physical and mental), even it is said that he is in a heavenly world where he talks and plays with Almighty. As time passes he grows but keeping his angelic nature intact he tries to copy an elderly person who always stays in disguise. When they are kids they do not know from which religion, caste, creed, sect they belong to. But they know what they are, he or she, it is just restricted till there. Gradually they try to adopt the negative nature of the society knowingly or unknowingly. If one can keep the negative and positive tracks in parallel position then for them making a difference between the two would not be difficult. Everyone wants to be good human being but at times they are unable to fulfill it due to pressure or torture or any influence, they lose their own track and forget the differences.

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When one goes into the world of education they forget the two tracks as described earlier. But then and now education system of our country is different. Previously women were not allowed to receive education but the present scenario is quite different. They are now no less than men in any field. Till 20^th century the competition between the two candidates was not much high. In recent times competition is growing by the day. Due to huge transformation of competition children are losing their innocence at a very early age. Especially the parents want their own child to be a genius who knows everything in this world. But this is not exactly possible. Parents are creating pressure on their child to get high percentages in studies and besides that the child also needs to be a champion across a number of extra curricular activities. There is a reason behind creating physical and mental pressure which is employment. When India was under British rule they gave a larger shape to our education system and English became a very important language. Parents want their children to go to an English medium school as people think that if one cannot communicate in English the person is not literate enough. That is why young generation people tend to forget their own mother tongue. Still guardians send children to English mediums to have a better job. As India is a third world country the rate of employment is low. India not only has a high rate of seasonal unemployment but educated unemployment also prevails.

Parents are concerned with just one fact, their child needs to come first in every sphere. This is creating a mental torture or pressure on the young ones. They are not able to play or nurture their hobbies. This is spoiling their childhood and they become extra mature in a very primitive age losing their charming innocent nature. Teachers and parents tend to lose their temper and start torturing physically which is a burning issue today and the children go into the phase of depression. Looking back to the educational institutions, they are also creating a huge pressure on students. Teachers do partiality between students for which pupils suffer from inferiority complex. When they lose the limit of tolerance they attempt suicide. They want to be an escapist from the world of torture where no freedom exists. They become so much introvert that even mother cannot make out their evil intention. As many students do not have enough strength to commit suicide they become psychological patients. 

If this continues many talented people will fade away from our society. Directly or indirectly we the people will be responsible for their erosion.

About the Author- 

Nilika Banerjee is student of Journalism & Mass Communication at Rani Birla Girl's College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and they do not reflect in any way those of the Dispassionate Observer.