Corporate-backed TV reporters who thronged Shaheen Bagh to cover hijab march go missing over Talib story
Corporate-backed TV reporters who had thronged Shaheen Bagh a few days ago to cover hijab march went missing from action in Batla House on Saturday when words spread of death of a young painter, Talib Samadani, 25, in fight over gulli danda in the locality.
It was only community portal, the OT, which first broke the news with just a handful of local YouTubers being quick to pick up the story which was talk of Jamia Nagar on Saturday.
A journalist associated with the mainstream media told the OT that in the age of TRP journalism a story of a poor youth doesn’t sell and it is in such moments that community journalism plays its role.
The hijab march story fits into the media narrative of thing and not death of a poor man in Jamia Nagar, said media analyst Faizul Haque, who has worked in national and international publications, and now is running his YouTube channel.
He said it was only on community portal, the OT, where he could read the story in detail but it is another thing that many don’t know the importance of community journalism.
Stories about human sufferings have no space in today’s corporate-backed media houses unlike the Western media, said Haque.
Those who rushed to the spot to see the incident unfold said TV journalists who had come in large number in Shaheen Bagh to cover hijab protest went missing and till late night on Saturday know one cared to file a report over the tragedy.
It is reported that Talib was beaten mercilessly by local residents when a fight had broken in a ground in Batla House where children were playing gulli danda.
The injures were so life-threatening that Talib had to be rushed to hospital, said local leader Shoaib Danish, adding that on Saturday morning he succumbed to his injuries. Okhl residents were in deep shock over the brutality which the family members explained while interacting with YouTubers.
Though arrests have been made and FIR registered, family members made some accusation and said the main culprits are on the run. Probe in the incident is on.
