Yellow Journalism – The Times of India

Top ‘n’ reasons why The Times of India (ToI) is a tabloid.

What is a tabloid?
In its traditional sense, tabloids tend to emphasise sensational stories and are reportedly prone to create their news if they feel that the subjects cannot, or will not, sue for libel. In this respect, much of the content of the tabloid press could be said to fall into the category of junk food news.

1. Pune Times, which accompanies the ToI, is almost a soft-porn rag. Notice the photographs of scantily clad ladies gratuitously displaying everything.

2. If you read the ToI edits and news pieces, you will come to the conclusion that Sonia Gandhi cannot do anything wrong, that she is godsend, unimpeachable and infallible.

3. If you read the ToI sports page, Sania Mirza is wondergirl.

4. At the same time, Sachin Tendulkar is a has-been artifact of the cricket world.

5. It is alright to publicise your subsidiaries and sister-companies through dubious news reports.

6. News reports tend to be heavily tainted with the opinions of the concerned reporters as opposed to what they should be – news reports.

7. View and counterview make me wonder whether the editor is suffering from multiple personality disorder.

8. The edits are heavily dumbed down and patronising.

9. On a scale of 1 to 10 for acceptability, the RSS and the BJP (note – no VHP or Bajrang Dal – they deserve whatever vitriol is thrown at them) score 2, just above Dawood and the ISI who score 1 and far below the dictatorial leader of Pakistan who gets 9. Pappi-Jhappi news anyone?

10. The edits are plain boring.

11. They actually pay a lot of attention to Laloo Yadav.

12. Their coverage of the Jharkhand fiasco left a lot to be desired.

13. We don’t care who the guest editor is as long as the edits are readable.

14. They pay more attention to American casualties in Iraq than Indian casualties in Jammu Kashmir and the northeast.

15. They have not heard of the demographic invasion which is taking place in the northeast.

16. Their coverage of local politics is ridiculous. It’s something like this. So and so corporator, along with his cabal, is opposed to so and so thing. He belongs to the Kalmadi faction which is opposed to the XYZ faction. when it should read like this So and so corporator is causing this bill to be stalled resulting in this much money wastage. The obvious ramifications are these and the reasons seem to be political.

… Please comment with your favourite reason(s) …