Dear NDTV: Engage Your Viewers, Don’t Sue Them

An ongoing debate in India is bringing to light yet again the huge disconnect between traditional media and blogging.

In December, I reported that sensational reporting of the Mumbai terror attacks by the Indian broadcast media was causing quite a stir.

Earlier this week, one of the bloggers who first started talking about this “shoddy journalism” posted a retraction and an apology for his statements made about one particular network and anchor: NDTV’s Barkha Dutt.

And that’s where the disconnect starts showing.

Because blogging is not journalism. Blogging is blogging.

Think of the many times you’ve been at a party among a large group of people discussing politics.

“Obama is a Muslim!” one of your has-a-penchant-for-histrionics friend cries out. “I read it in the newspaper.”

“He’s not a Muslim,” another friend says. “He only has Muslim family.”

“Hey, wait a second… what’s so wrong with being a Muslim?” a third person chimes in.

Before you know it, you’re all talking about Obama, his politics, his speeches, his family, his background, his future, his whatnot. You may all disagree on pretty much everything, but you’re talking. You’re having a discussion.

Blogging is a bit like that. Except that you’re having this conversation online, in public, and everyone’s invited. Instead of saying “I read it in the newspaper,” you’re now posting links to that newspaper article.

Blogging is a mix between opinion and fact, and everything in between. It does not hold the authority of a news organization. Everyone understands this.

People blogging about a certain subject may reach a mutually-agreeable conclusion after much debate, or they may not. They may continue posting rants, opinions, and links on their blogs to prove each other wrong. But that’s what’s so interesting. They’re having a conversation. They’re having a debate. And you’re welcome to join in by commenting or continuing it on your own blog.

Just like at the party, you may feel like punching the ignorant friend but you can’t take away his right to say what he thinks (depending on where you live, of course.)

Blogging in free and democratic societies is like that. It’s opinion. Blogging is conversation. Blogging cannot be regulated any more than that conversation at the party. You may not agree with it, but unless it’s plain and simple libel, the blogger has as much a right to express his opinion as you.

Journalism, on the other hand, is more like being at a conference. Speakers come and talk, what they say is taken as fact (they’ll usually back it up), and errors of judgment are not taken lightly.

I’ve spoken a couple of times about print journalists not being able to easily make the transition from journalism to blogging. That’s because while there’s an overlap between the two, you have to come to both from completely different mindsets.

Media organizations in the West have been making an effort in recent years, to bridge this divide and more importantly, learn and understand this phenomenon called blogging. They’re mostly learning to give bloggers respect even if they don’t fully understand it.

Most media organizations in India, so far, are still largely suspicious of bloggers and go out of their way to try and control this free flow of information.

Clearly, that doesn’t work. Because what happened is that NDTV completely missed the beat on this one. They got ONE apology. But they got hundreds, maybe thousands, of others to rehash not only a dead story, but express outrage at the network’s actions. At this point, it doesn’t even matter if NDTV had a case or not.

I respect that blogger’s decision to back off. However, had he decided to fight back, I think he would have received a lot of support from the blogging community, including money for legal fees.

I feel traditional media houses still think that they hold more power than lone bloggers. But what they may not understand is that the blogger is not a lone reed. When they’re writing away inconsequentially you can’t see it, but try and silence one and they’ll all come out in droves fighting for their right to free speech and expression.

That said, not all bloggers are always right. Some do indulge in rumor mongering, several repeat false information, and it’s very easy to find an incorrect statement paraded around as fact.

The way to curb rumors and untrue statements posing as fact, however, is not to threaten legal action. The way to deal with it is the same way you’d deal with that obnoxious friend at the party. By engaging them, having a conversation, and presenting facts.

And maybe, once in a while, admitting that you could be wrong.

**

Some links, if you’re interested in the issue:

The original post (Scroll down to the bottom; See why it’s so hard to shut the Internet up?)

Blogger Silenced by NDTV

Blogger’s Bile or What STFU Really Means

Throw the Constitution away

Shame Shame NDTV Shame

NDTV’s Assault on Free Speech

When “free speech” bears a price tag

Open Letter to NDTV

Chetan Kunte, Blogging Hero

And a little bit of fun: The Further Adventures of Hark! DaButt