Dont Look Right: or, why the media gets it wrong

National personalities/eminent thinkers/noted editors Ashok Kumar Tandon, B.K. Kuthiala, B.N. Uniyal, K.G. Suresh, K.N. Govindacharya, Mark Tully, Nalini Rajan, Pankaj Vohra, Prem Shankar Jha, Rajeev Srinivasan, Sanjaya Baru, Sanjay Kumar, Santosh Desai, Sharat Pradhan, Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar, Swapan Dasgupta and Vir Sanghvi have tried to answer in thought-provoking essays why the Press gets it wrong, why is media reportage not always balanced and why is the media increasingly being termed partisan and biased? Do elements of the media see events through ideologically-tinted glasses? Do they misread or is it that they don’t want to accept what is staring at them large in the face? And, then they go on to file reports which are in parts make believe, wishful thinking and plain fiction. Is it ideological bias or lack of knowledge, understanding, know how, effort and application? It is easy to be ‘briefed’ by politicians in luxurious Lutyens’ bungalows and in state capitals. Why endure the hardship of travelling to the remote interiors for a first-hand understanding when your political contact gives you his take on reality, even if it is biased and out of touch with facts? This diverse collection of readable essays hopefully will provide some meaningful insights and answers and, more importantly, spark off a wider debate on best practices by the media.