Disinformation to do harm
I attended the World Cultural Festival in Delhi this past weekend and was shocked to open the paper each day to see one very misleading article after another. The focus was clearly to minimize the impact of the event and highlight any negativity and blow it out of proportion. For example, to focus on the parking woes as if they were a focal point of anyones experience was absurd. The traffic was well organized, entry for our group of three was effortless each day, and we were never stuck in more than the usual Delhi event traffic at any point. Another ridiculous story line was about a dead statesman invitee. When one actually read the article, the gentleman Boutros Boutros-Ghali passed away on February 16, but incidentally NOT before he had sent a recorded message offering his congratulations to Art of Living. Under these circumstances it is neither surprising or inappropriate that his name would appear on a guest list likely prepared weeks or a month in advance for such a massive event. I could go on, including a Tuesday article insisting that AOLF volunteers were asked to rest on Monday; there were in fact repeated requests from all over including one I heard myself personally, from Sri Sri, asking volunteers who were available to be at the venue to support the clean up.
I was an international guest to this event, and happened to read the paper at the home of my hosts, 50 year subscribers to HT who will no longer be taking the paper. With a background in event communications, its clear HT had no interest in supporting this stunning spectacle of an event, even though Indias, and many World, leaders saw its merits. Such negative and untrue reporting just reflects poor journalistic standards, and a negative bias that has no place in a democratic culture.
Ndsilver about
Hindustan Times - News Updates