From: prem@phd.lbl.gov (Shirdi R. Prem)
Subject: Re: Portrayal of India
Reply-To: prem@phd.lbl.gov (Shirdi R. Prem)
Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 92 22:22:11 GMT

In article <1992Aug11.165340.1641@ucbeh.san.uc.edu> vallamn@ucbeh.san.uc.edu writes:
>
>
>If one looks at the international editions of India Today,
>one cannot but notice the tendency of the magazine to portray
>India as a western culture that is imbibing more western values
>day by day.  I do not want to comment on whether this is good 
>or bad.  What irks me is the tone of approval that these articles 
>carry ........................

	You only have to look at the demographics of the magazine's readers
	to get an answer to that question. Most of them are upscale people
	who have opted to stay outside of India, and continue to do so in
	spite of the fact that they are interested enough in India to buy
	the magazine. 
	
	( I refer to the international edition only, so if anyone is getting )
	( ready to flame with statistics of its Indian circulation, hold     )
	( your fire.............                                             )

	NRI's have chosen to live abroad and most of them opted for the local 
	lifestyle, inevitably western, in favor of traditional Indian values.
	Naturally, India Today does not want to piss off these NRI's by
	expressing disapproval of their choice of residence or lifestyle.

>Why a rosy picture is painted of India, I do not know.

	See reason above.

	Incidentally, it is exactly for this reason that the recent NBC
	Olympic coverage was so disgustingly biased. After all, most 
	people who watch NBC are citizens of the USA, who are desperately
	seeking some crutch to offset their fading glory in the world.

	After all, NBC wouldn't risk turning off its viewers by suggesting
	that folks from other countries could still beat the US in a sport
	or two. That was why so little exposure was given to sports like
	hockey or soccer, even at the finals, whereas they devoted hours
	of air-time to gloating over the "Dream Team"'s non-match with
	Angola even in the insignificant first round.

	They rarely showed the medal tally, which probably was because the
	US trailed (horror of horrors) the Unified Team, in both the Gold
	medal count, as well as the total medal tally.

	To sum up, whether it is India Today or NBC, they are continuing to
	do what they do only because it is good business sense to make your
	customers "Feel Good". Can't say I blame them. You have to remember
	     THEIR PRIMARY MOTIVE IS PROFIT. NOT THE DISSEMINATION OF TRUTH.


	Prem!

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