The Kashmir Scenario Exclusive
Ardent viewers and television fraternity of Kashmir have shown serious concern over the functioning of Doordarshan Srinagar. The station is hogging the limelight once again for negative reasons.
The program Good Morning J & K which helped in maintaining the reputation of station even during the mushrooming growth of private channels is also now in news for all the bad reasons.
From corrupt practices to declining viewership, the program is confronting multitude problems. Even veteran voices are concerned about this plight. With authorities at helm ignoring talented and auditioned anchors and trading false allegations of favoritism against them. While on other side are themselves indulging in unfair means by taking un-auditioned anchors, blue-eyed persons into their fold.
According to inputs provide by reliable resources, the manner in which the said program is looked after simply epitomizes corruption and inept practices.
Viewers are expressing their disappointment over the declining standards of the program.
Mr. Shahid Shabir, a noted media personality and regular viewer of the program- “Talking about the program “Good Morning J&K” telecasted on Doordarshan, I would like to say that the program is a complete disaster now. There is no standard script and presentation. You can imagine it from the fact that the Doordarshan had telecasted a documentary of “Manasbal”, and it has been till date telecasted more than 50 times in the program. From this you can make out the standard of presentation of the program now.”
He added –“Another thing which I would like to state is, the way re-employment is given to retired persons, and those people are brought before the camera who doesn’t know the basics of presentation.
Also the news which got circulated that the so called Doordarshan Head is demanding 50 % of the fees which anchors get from the program, so this is a sheer corrupt practice which is going in the arena of Doordarshan. Now I can only say that the program is now a disaster and it is deteriorating day by day. Anchors who surely gave a new direction to the program, are no more seen in the program now and the outcome is Good Morning J&K is losing viewership day by day.”
Pertinently, it may be noted that Director Doordarshan Qayoom Wadera had few days back stated that they cannot always engage Masood Muntazar and Hajni’s son.
Expert voices are also expressing disappointment over the state of affairs. Dr Aziz Hajini, President Adbi Markaz Kamraz and a renowned Writer and Anchor stated – “This is an unfortunate and condemnable statement. My son has reached the status of Anchor via proper auditioning. Actually, few days before I called upon Qayoom Wadera, Director Doordarshan and had chat with him in his office. To my great surprise and shock he stated that since he is retiring soon he wants to earn something out of the programs since he is retiring soon. I scolded him as I have always held principles at supreme and left his office. Soon the program, ‘Panin Zew Panin Kath’ which I was hosting was stopped without any valid reason. In the greed of Corruption the concerned official even cancelled the booking of my son Azhar Hajini. Earlier on same pretext the Director had stopped the bookings of Masood Muntazar, award winning anchor of the show as he too had refused to pay the bribe.”
Dr Aziz Hajini added -“It is really painful to see that a premier institution like Doordarshan which represents our culture and language is being treated like a fiefdom .We would definitely inform the relevant institutions about these misdoings of person concerned so that menace of corruption is weeded out from the premier institution of our state.”
Masood Muntazar, award winning anchor who took Good Morning Show to new heights stated-“I clearly refused to pay any bribe as my principles are dear to me. As the Director has stated that on directions of ministry I was removed from show in this regard I have already shot letters to, Prime Minster, concerned Information & Broadcasting Ministry to seek their intervention”
It is worth pointing out here that in the turbulent circumstances like controversies, violent curfews and strike the show was competently handled by magnanimous persona of Masood Muntazar.
Dr Javaid another anchor of the program who too had come through the process of audition and has a letter from Doordarshan with him which states that you have been selected as anchor of the show and you shall be given two trial bookings in the program initially and further bookings will depend upon your performance in the program and subsequently was continued for months on the basis of his performance. Javaid too has not been called in the show since the charge of the program was given to some other producer. Javaid states, “Let authorities at Doordarshan take public opinion in consideration while assigning job of anchoring to the people’s favorite show in the morning and let people decide who actually delivers content”
When The Kashmir Scenario contacted one of the old viewers of this noted program Professor Manzoor Ahmad Rather, a University Professor, he stated – “Good Morning J & K is the heartthrob of the people of Kashmir who have always craved for meaningful entertainment and information. From several years this program sufficed the needs of viewers but unfortunately from few weeks the said show is witnessing dramatic downslide. The new faces inducted lag behind in proper presentation skills and seem to be clueless in providing unique dimensions to the show. The experiments they are practicing seem to be futile.”
On the other side of paradigm, the energetic and charismatic voices are worried over the prevalent favoritism and weird practices adopted by present Director
Azhar Hajini, a youthful presenter and broadcaster states. “Director Doordarshan Kashmir, Qayoom Wadera himself told me on several instances that you are the best .Also we came via proper auditioning as initially more than 300 people participated and we successfully competed in auditioning and we did program accordingly and received lot of praise from viewers. All of sudden, they stopped our bookings. The program demands, it should represent our culture and language. Shamefully enough, the new anchors have come through without any audition and lag proper communication skills especially fluency in Kashmiri Language, whileas the program format demands 80 percent usage of Kashmiri language.”
Azhar Adds – “In every place the ardent viewers asks us curiously the reasons behind the well-established anchors not featuring in the program and we are often dumbfounded.”
When we tried to take the viewpoint from Director Doordarshan, Qayoom Wadera, he at first in an unethical manner offered cup of tea and went on to state “ Well I cannot state much as Mr. Manzoor Khan is the Producer of the Show and it his prerogative to answer the queries.”
But on contacting Mr.Manzoor Khan stated that he is just helping hand and has already retired from the services and added Mr Ghulam Nabi Wani is producer of the show currently.. All these developments suggest how deep rot is prevalent in Doordarshan Srinagar.
On contacting Mr Ghulam Nabi Wani , the Producer of Good Morning J&K, he stated- “Manzoor Khan has already retired and he is just assisting us. As far as Azhar Hajini is concerned we got feedback that he is doing well and has performed well whenever he was given a chance but has youthful and innocent looks and this show demands elderly face.”
All this looks quiet abysmal considering the fact that on prestigious global and National Current affairs channels most of the important shows are anchored by personas with Youthful and innocent looks.
Certainly, the prevalence of favoritism and rampant corrupt practices are impairing the functioning of Kashmir’s premier TV station Doordarshan Srinagar. All one can say is that let viewers decide what they want to watch and who they want in the programs like Good Morning J&K. Making frequent unnecessary experiments with premier shows of the station like Good Morning J&K is not a healthy step and authorities at Doordarshan Srinagar should take suggestions and views of those viewers seriously who send their suggestions through emails and other means of communiqué.
Masood Muntazar, award winning anchor who took Good Morning Show to new heights stated-“I clearly refused to pay any bribe as my principles are dear to me. As the Director has stated that on directions of ministry I was removed from show in this regard I have already shot letters to, Prime Minster, concerned Information & Broadcasting Ministry to seek their intervention.”