Haldar is legitimate media news. Not only has his theft made him an international criminal but it has exposed the systemic corruption pervading in our financial, legal and law enforcement structure. Haldar’s escape has now also become a major news as it transpires several police and ACC officials probably helped him escape. The Court has ordered that names of the accomplices be disclosed.
But Haldar was also sending his money abroad through his family members, friends and reportedly his girlfriends. In fact, after the declaration by the ACC lawyer that he had 70-80 GFs there was a hilarious uproar over the issue and bawdy comments were galore. Most didn’t believe the number but it was obvious he was a man of many women. One particular woman was in fact detained and later arrested on charges of complicity.
All this is fine and adds a bit of sexual sauce to the news making on a thief of a grand order. Media will do so and rightly did so. But the failure of the media is on the recent reporting of this particular person and mistaken identity.
Pictures of a well-known person was shown as the said lady now in jail . She herself works in the same non-banking financial institution sector so BD media didn’t bother to check. However, while this has been condemned, few are saying that was only to be expected. That given our state of media management now, this was the most natural possible thing to do and happen.
Our media lacks most structures that produce professionalism. Most of the owners are here not to make money which would have produced professionalism at the top level. Generally, the owner is here because the hope is to protect money already made, make new connections to harvest more and reach the layers of power more easily and quickly. If the media loses money, looks bad, it doesn’t matter as the intent has nothing to do with his main objective.
The Editors too have loftier goals than being professional as they have ambitions and access to more channels than one. Prime interest is not in generating professional products but promoting political and even economic goals in most cases. He also sees himself as a “great warrior of democracy” infavour or against the Government so his interest in professionalism is zilch.
This leaves the poor media worker only –solitary and marooned- who has come to the profession without a clue as to what it’s all about. There is no one to tell him how to do his job as the entire chain of command above him has no idea not to mention interest in how the job is done. Why blame him ?He is just a hick trying to make a paltry living. He isn’t lazy or careless, he doesn’t not that he is because above him live the standard bearers who have no interest in quality media at all. Our financial sector is entirely corrupt, out regulators are accomplices in many cases but our media can’t get pass grade either.
