THE NOT SO CURIOUS CASE OF ARNAB GOSWAMI
By Sanjay Jha
Watching Arnab Goswami on Times Now gives you a euphoric, eureka breakthrough to that lingering question that kept you nonplussed for years ; why is television called an idiot box ? Now you know why! Goswami’s daily program should come with a mandatory warning “ A stomach ache or a spontaneous constitutional may be inadvertently triggered as a natural consequence of encountering me”. Let me be honest , my constant badgering of Goswami in these columns is nothing personal. I don’t know him at all . In fact, I find his cherubic cheeks , bumbling-fumbling manners and half-smile almost exasperatingly endearing. His futile protestations as guests ramble on and on regardless of his constant interruptions is almost as hilarious as watching a stuttering , stupefied Paresh Rawal in those cheesy Akshay Kumar comedies. Goswami has that archetypal cherry blossom countenance except that he lacks the polish.
Of late I have stopped doing the sporadic media reviews , because frankly, the quality of electronic media coverage of crucial issues is getting pathetically synthetic, there is flagrant exaggeration of non-issues into cannonball fire, and no authentic attempt made to create meaningful dialogue. Let us take the much overblown “ interlocutor” word uttered by MOS External Affairs Shashi Tharoor which apparently “overturned decades of India’s foreign policy” according to garrulous Goswami. . Whew! Give me a break, guys! So Tharoor utters one word and that dramatically reverses our diplomatic strategies on third-party intervention? Times Now is now appearing as the urban English language version of India TV. I won’t be surprised if Goswami even covers a slithering python’s opinion on 26/11 and hisses at him. I am not sure if the reptile will respond with the genteel manner of Jayanthi Natarajan. .
Goswami launched into such a personalized tirade against Tharoor , he sounded like TV’s new anchor-avatar of Taliban. Who is this Tharoor to tell us about our knowledge of English? Isn’t Tharoor Congress’s perennial problem-child and the master of gibberish ? Just look at his awkward, embarrassed body language . He is in denial about his faux-pas etc etc. .Goswami barked incessantly as if he would soon issue some public fatwa against Shashi. BJPs Ravi Shankar Prasad chuckled in perceptible delight at the windfall bonus albeit the Congress spokesperson was uncharacteristically defensive. Vinod Mehta is now a ubiquitous presence across all TV channels but at least he is an innocuous intrusion into the chaotic madness.
Bottomline; firstly, truly an interlocutor does not mean a mediator, but just a person in dialogue or a participant in a discussion. Period! Most importantly , Tharoor said “ interlocutor for us” meaning, representing the Indian standpoint and not a deal-broker between Pakistan and India. . Thirdly, engaging a powerful ally in Saudi Arabia ( a powerful US bastion in the Middle East/ Arab world) is a tactically smart move to keep Pakistan on a nervous edge ( remember India could do with helpful friends who can exert their own influence on a recalcitrant and an unreasonable neighbor). Lastly, on the intractable issue of Kashmir and cross-border terrorism , it is a smart move to engage in an open, ongoing, transparent dialogue with crucial partners.
I think it is time someone told Mr Goswami that he should stop believing that his audience comprises of gullible fools who will buy his daily dose of constipation relieving pills without letting out suitable steam ( pun unintended). Maybe the Times Group ( past-masters at marketing gimmicks like Aman ki Aasha etc ) could rebrand the daily News-hour as Gas from Goswami.
The question is not so much the exact meaning of the word Interlocutor as the undiplomatic habit of a junior minister to make a mjor policy announcement when his own Prime minister is around and was about to make his own statement. Unbelievable. And this is happening time and again. Mr. Tharoor is simply embarrassing his own cabinet and party who are some how tolerating this in a vulnerable majority of his party. He has the easiest option to leave the government and work for the party.
Comments regarding the media channels and Mr. Goswami are appropriate. However,though Goswami sees to be overdoing things from time to time, after all, we get the quality of media we deserve.
Mr. Jha, God knows if it is by sheer coincidence that soon after you wrote this blog piece The-not-so-curious-case-of-Arnab-Goswami, we have been seeing you quite regularly on the Newshour as Arnab Goswami’s guest for his much hailed debates. Well, do you still claim that you do not know him at all, and the Newshour is all Gas from Goswami? Or, would you like to write another blog piece and make your stand clear about Arnab Goswami and The Newshour? Well, as an admirer of Arnab Goswami, I am simply curious to know your response. Hopefully you will be honest and not disappoint.
Hi Anju
Your point is noted. My observations on Arnab were based more specifically on the Shashi Tharoor ” interlocutor” issue in the said piece. I thought the entire media ( incl print ) was very harsh on him, not just Arnab. Please read my piece Why the Media does not like Shashi Tharoor on the site for a full picture. Personally, I have felt that Tharoor got the wrong end of the stick consistently, partly through his own indiscretions, but largely due to exaggerated criticisms of his occasional lapses. It finally reached the peak with the Kochi controversy.
My being on Times Now is purely coincidental thanks to the IPL scam et al. Knowing Arnab now of late , I see how he brings a manic energy to the program, is very quick on the take, and encourages his guests to not sit on the fence. In fact, the other day there was an awesome panel in great form which made for a lively exchange. Whatever his personal opinion on issues that it might appear, Times Now does not seem to hold the candle for any party or issue. That is the key—I admire that.
Regards
Sanjay
Sanjay, thanks for responding honestly to my query.
I agree Shashi Tharoor got a bad press repeatedly but it was not Arnab Goswami solely who was after his blood all the time. It was the media in general. Arnab was simply being blunt but balanced at the same time, in his true style, while discussing Shashi Tharoor’s case. Arnab never seemed to have anything against Shashi Tharoor personally.
I am also in agreement with you that Arnab Goswami is the LIFE of Times Now and Newshour in particular and his sheer energy and intelligence as a moderator is truly magnetic! Arnab is the sole reason for Times Now becoming the No.1 English News Channel in just two years of its existence (now in its 3rd year of clear leadership position), slaying the well established players in the business NDTV 24×7 and CNN-IBN on its way to spectacular success!
I too am a great admirer of Shashi Tharoor – the author – and was hugely pained to see him go through all that public humiliation before being forced to resign. In fact, I could not hold my tears watching those horrible live visuals on television. Nevertheless, I was very angry with him as well. After all, more than the ‘hounding’ media, it was he himself who was to be blamed for perpetrating all the crises in his life! I was aghast at his naivety! He seemed to have forgotten all lessons in diplomacy and conducting one’s life – private & professional – as a (diplomat) politician! If he could write so beautifully about his understanding of India from being far away, how could he not understand the workings of Indian politics as an MP? … Hope he gets his wisdom back and salvages his respect soon.
Thanks, again.
Regards,
Anju
Hi’s to all -:)
Well, it goes like this….I never had that level of inclination to watch T.V….& on the top of that News ….But..ya, this guy…seeme to display a whole set of energies…(many of a kind)….N eventually makes this….Information extracting Media…comparatively better…
…As far as his take is concerned on different issues…Lets take it like this…After all..Even he’s a human being…carrying his own notions, perceptions and logics…Based on his understanding of the matter, he initiates the debate/casual conversation…
…Having done that…the things progress …more like as the circumstances around shape them…
…Its all a matter…he gets a chance of this critical appreciation from the public at large …as he’s filtering his thoughts..which nevertheless his profession is… on a media which is available to all….& hence can be easily condemned…
…Keeping certain aspects apart…His ways are kind of …. DISTINCT !
-Nivedita.