The standard of Indian media especially TV news channels seems to be going down with each passing year. Their coverage of the tragic death of Bollywood superstar Sridevi is highly condemnable. For the last couple of days anchors and reporters are playing role of police, forensic expert, etc. They have been speculating the cause of death and also pronouncing judgment in the case. As news emerged that Sridevi died of accidental drowning in bath tub and that alcohol content was found in her body, the frenzy news channel went overboard and started reporting all sort of crazy things.
Also the TV media’s frantic reporting of Sridevi’s death has angered Bollywood celebrities and her fans, who have called the coverage “graceless” and “insensitive”. Celebrities such as Vidya Balan and Farhan Akhtar criticised TV channels for suggesting various conspiracy theories on the cause of her death. The competition for TRP is gradually reducing TV news channel to butt of jokes. If the trend continues, sensible people will altogether stop watching news channel. It’s time the TV news editor and owner introspect and make course correction. They need to improve the standard of reporting. They are losing the respect of masses by bringing down the standard of news reporting. The credibility of TV news channel are at stake and it is upto them to win back the respect of the mass.