My celebration of 31st December in Kolkata to share with you

Kolkata tops the list of Indian cities known for their festive ambience on 31^st December; the last day of the year. The celebration of the day to ring out the old and ring in the new is full of thrills and spills in the city of Kolkata. Kolkata a cosmopolitan city metropolis cheers in the evening and chills out the night on 31^st December with so much gusto as if there is no tomorrow. 

The entirety of Kolkata soaks in the joyous spirit of 31^st December. The jovial celebration of the day as ceremonious festivity has become one with the identity of Kolkatans, irrespective of their caste, religion and language. Nicco Park, Millennium Park, City Center, South City, Nandan, Nalban, Park Street, and Esplanade are the places across the cityscape where the joyous mode runs high on 31^st December.

Very few people stay indoors resisting the attraction of joy and pleasure outside. I too go out. On 31^st December evening this year, I went out to visit the New Market area and Park Street with my parents. These two elite places in the heart of the city receive thousands of footfalls. It is a pleasure to be part of the cheering crowd. Both New Market and Park Street were decorated with colorful lights as new brides. Many were hanging out; many were queuing up for entry to restaurants; many were surrounding roadside food stalls. There was so much to see, so much to feel and so much to wonder at that it can’t be summed up in a few words. New Market and Park Street became beautiful fairgrounds where there was no roller-coaster though; the revelers were on a fun ride.

The tempo of these two places continued till wee hours. Though we came back before it was 12 at night, I was under the fascination of the 31^st December outing.  

Does Media Thrive on Sensationalism

The scenario of commercial industries such as media, IT, hospitality and likes is highly competitive. The adage “Strike the iron when it is hot” is one of the key secrets to survival in the current dog-eat-dog world. Media is no exception. Sensationalism is the new-age success recipe in the field of print and digital journalism.

Both digital media and print media are neck-and-neck in competition for a lion’s share of the market. Print newspapers are engaged in a rat race for increasing their own circulation. Advertisement is the chief source of revenue for a print media house. A newspaper needs to extend its circulation in order to get more advertisements. Evidently, print media sensationalize news and serve it as a spicy dish for the readers to feed on. 

Digital media is steps ahead of print media when it comes to practicing sensationalism. Television news channels or digital media companies are racing against each other at a break-neck speed for higher TRP. Sensationalism is the only way out for them.

What is sensationalism in the media world? It refers to emotionalizing news to appeal to the soft corners of human minds. It is somewhat akin to emotional branding. Or, to say precisely, sensationalizing news is adding to the excitement or hype around an interesting or shocking event.

At present, media sensationalism is running high centering round the fire incident at an AMRI Hospital in Kolkata. TV journalists are using their camera lens to capture and print journalists are using their pens to write on the pictures of damage caused by fire and the public outcry against the hospital authority.

Every news channel and every daily is dishing out stories focused on the angst and anguish, grief and grievance of the victims’ families. Such news stories rich in emotional elements click with the audience. To some extent, it is necessary to highlight the pictures of public outcry against the at-fault authority, so that the responsible may taste the bitter fruit of its unjust action. Sometimes media sensationalism takes a toll on the emotional health of readers, though.

Peepli Live produced by Amir Khan is the latest and best reference to how media thrives on sensationalism around a poor farmer’s plan to commit suicide.