File No 109867/2005/330
Mission Media: Under cover in CNN-IBN
Excerpts from the case diary
SMELL THE COFFEE
Day 1 in office.
The Editor walks in, looks at the television screens in his cabin and shouts out , “Do we have this?”
“Yes sir,” the desk right outside replies promptly.
“Do we have this?”
“Long time back sir.”
“Do we have this then?”
“Sir, we did a live report on that.”
“OK, then do we have this?”
“We are checking it, sir.”
“Guys, smell the coffee, show some energy. It is 10 in the morning and I have to ask for things. Smell the coffee.”
Rajdeep Sardesai, not Dipika Padukone, is coffee’s biggest ambassador.
Kutty, the observant detective that he is, started drinking coffee straightaway.
*************************
THE SPIRITUAL EDITOR
Rajdeep is a very spiritual man. He has immense faith in an old monk, not Asaram I can assure you. Till a few years ago, his good night tweets were dedicated to him. But sometime down the line, Bollywood numbers replaced the old monk. Kutty doesn’t know if the Editor still holds him in high regard, but his ward has become a fan of the old monk.
*************************
NEWSROOM, THE JUNGLE
The Editor’s love for the wildlife is unparalleled.
What would you call people you love? Chunnu, Munnu, Gullu are Kutty’s favourites. But not for Rajdeep.
So, we have pot-bellied Panthers, tattooed Tigers in the newsroom. Yes, we have tigresses as well.
*************************
THE RAJDEEP TOUCH
It happened a few years ago. A young employee had quit to take an offer from a newly launched channel. No amount of cajoling by the bosses could stop him. But he ended staying back. The reason: his father got a call from Rajdeep telling him his son was committing a blunder.
He knew everyone on the floor by name. He would surprise even a fresher by calling out. What happens when he doesn’t know someone’s name? A new joinee was returning with a cup, you guessed it right, of coffee, the editor stopped him and said, “Hello, I am Rajdeep Sardesai…”
*************************
CHILD PSYCHOLOGY
You have faced this situation many times before. Your neighbour’s child pulls a prank, you want to scold him, but can’t. What do you do? You scold your child instead.
Now, what happens when you are dealing with some 100 people, all under your watch, all people you like. The Editor gives a dose of child psychology.
Example:
Kutty commits a mistake, his neighbour on the news desk gets the pounding. Usually everyone gets the message, but not Kutty. Once the punishment is over, Kutty turns to the ‘subject’ of Editor’s anger, and says, “I told you, didn’t I?”
*************************
THE IMPORTANCE OF MEDITATION
Often the Editor loses his cool, and forgets child psychology. This is when things get dangerous. He shouts at the person he actually wants to scold. You need to learn to deal with such a situation. This is how Kutty does it.
“This is the last time I am telling you.”
Kutty stares into the computer monitor. With all the belief he can muster, he starts reciting the school prayer.
‘Om sahano vavatu’
“If you can’t do this right, I will get someone who can.”
‘Sahano bhunaktu’
“What kind of English is running on the channel?”
‘Sahaviryam karavavahai’
“What the fuck is happening?”
‘Ma vidvishavahai’
“!@#$%^~!@$^%&*”
‘Om shanti hi, shanti hi, shanti hi’
****************************
THE SMS THAT FOLLOWS
Often such exchanges are followed by an SMS from the Editor. He would apologise for losing his temper. The SMS comes even if you are wrong and deserved that tongue lashing. Many in the newsroom have saved those SMSs on their phones.
I know what you are asking. No, Kutty never got that SMS. Not because he did no wrong ever but because Rajdeep doesn’t have his number. Kutty couldn’t have shared his mobile number, he was on an undercover mission.
Mission Media: Under cover in CNN-IBN
Excerpts from the case diary
SMELL THE COFFEE
Day 1 in office.
The Editor walks in, looks at the television screens in his cabin and shouts out , “Do we have this?”
“Yes sir,” the desk right outside replies promptly.
“Do we have this?”
“Long time back sir.”
“Do we have this then?”
“Sir, we did a live report on that.”
“OK, then do we have this?”
“We are checking it, sir.”
“Guys, smell the coffee, show some energy. It is 10 in the morning and I have to ask for things. Smell the coffee.”
Rajdeep Sardesai, not Dipika Padukone, is coffee’s biggest ambassador.
Kutty, the observant detective that he is, started drinking coffee straightaway.
*************************
THE SPIRITUAL EDITOR
Rajdeep is a very spiritual man. He has immense faith in an old monk, not Asaram I can assure you. Till a few years ago, his good night tweets were dedicated to him. But sometime down the line, Bollywood numbers replaced the old monk. Kutty doesn’t know if the Editor still holds him in high regard, but his ward has become a fan of the old monk.
*************************
NEWSROOM, THE JUNGLE
The Editor’s love for the wildlife is unparalleled.
What would you call people you love? Chunnu, Munnu, Gullu are Kutty’s favourites. But not for Rajdeep.
So, we have pot-bellied Panthers, tattooed Tigers in the newsroom. Yes, we have tigresses as well.
*************************
THE RAJDEEP TOUCH
It happened a few years ago. A young employee had quit to take an offer from a newly launched channel. No amount of cajoling by the bosses could stop him. But he ended staying back. The reason: his father got a call from Rajdeep telling him his son was committing a blunder.
He knew everyone on the floor by name. He would surprise even a fresher by calling out. What happens when he doesn’t know someone’s name? A new joinee was returning with a cup, you guessed it right, of coffee, the editor stopped him and said, “Hello, I am Rajdeep Sardesai…”
*************************
CHILD PSYCHOLOGY
You have faced this situation many times before. Your neighbour’s child pulls a prank, you want to scold him, but can’t. What do you do? You scold your child instead.
Now, what happens when you are dealing with some 100 people, all under your watch, all people you like. The Editor gives a dose of child psychology.
Example:
Kutty commits a mistake, his neighbour on the news desk gets the pounding. Usually everyone gets the message, but not Kutty. Once the punishment is over, Kutty turns to the ‘subject’ of Editor’s anger, and says, “I told you, didn’t I?”
*************************
THE IMPORTANCE OF MEDITATION
Often the Editor loses his cool, and forgets child psychology. This is when things get dangerous. He shouts at the person he actually wants to scold. You need to learn to deal with such a situation. This is how Kutty does it.
“This is the last time I am telling you.”
Kutty stares into the computer monitor. With all the belief he can muster, he starts reciting the school prayer.
‘Om sahano vavatu’
“If you can’t do this right, I will get someone who can.”
‘Sahano bhunaktu’
“What kind of English is running on the channel?”
‘Sahaviryam karavavahai’
“What the fuck is happening?”
‘Ma vidvishavahai’
“!@#$%^~!@$^%&*”
‘Om shanti hi, shanti hi, shanti hi’
****************************
THE SMS THAT FOLLOWS
Often such exchanges are followed by an SMS from the Editor. He would apologise for losing his temper. The SMS comes even if you are wrong and deserved that tongue lashing. Many in the newsroom have saved those SMSs on their phones.
I know what you are asking. No, Kutty never got that SMS. Not because he did no wrong ever but because Rajdeep doesn’t have his number. Kutty couldn’t have shared his mobile number, he was on an undercover mission.
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