Tuesday 23 October 2007

WHO SEZ ITS AN FIR?

More than one person in The Gomantak Times need to visit an ophthalmologist. Is there one near Gomantak Bhavan? Even if there is one, these guys had better be escorted when they drop by there for a thorough check up. It's our sincere request, please escort these chaps ok guys. Cause since yesterday, we think these guys have been seeing things, where no one else in the fraternity can.
Some poor chappies sure messed up big time with that SEZ story.
And their luck sure must have completely played out after The Gomantak Times played up his story
'FIR filed against IDC BoD, others' as lead. Thing is, no FIR was ever registered at all. It was merely a complaint filed by Charles Fernandes the president of the 'People's movement against SEZs' group at the police station.
Either the reporter was wrongly informed by his sources or he misinterpreted the scene. And to top it all, the newspaper boomed the story and hoisted it up like a roof right on top of page 1.
You know, there are basic issues which a journalist -- especially ones covering the crime beat -- need to know. Like say, the difference between an FIR and a complaint. The difference between police custody and judicial custody. Fine this guy missed it, but there were others in the heirarchy who should have spotted the goof-up.
Surely, the chief reporter Vithaldas Hegde went through this report. Its completely baffling as to how he let this story through. Hegde is well connected in Margao and having covered the crime beat for a long stretch of time, he should have sensed something fishy here.
Then the story would have been passed on to Ashley, as deputy news editor. He should have nipped this story there and then. Ashley has reported on crime too. For an observant eye, the story's first para has 'HEY-LOOK-HERE-I-SMELL-FISHY-DON'T-I?' look all over it.
Which cop in Goa has the balls to file an FIR against a list of accused which includes a minister, ruling party MLA, three top ranking government officials and a GCCI bigwig, unless of course these guys had an orgy at the DGP residence last night, during the latter's absence and were caught later.

Be interesting to see how they take this story forward tomorrow. So guys, give em some dark glasses tomorrow and lead them to an eye specialist somewhere will you. (reworked)

11 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

why an eye specialist... why not a good refresher course...

24 October 2007 at 13:55  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Surprising guys at GT dozed a wee bit. Otherwise these chaps in GT have a keen eye and good news sense.
Dunno how this went past by Derrick, Paul, Ashley, Hegde and offcourse the chiefe-sub who was at the page.
And yes Derrick followed the story with an edit on it.
tsch tsch...

24 October 2007 at 14:48  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey ashley

Did not expect this from you,guy. Were u down with a peg or two?

cheers

24 October 2007 at 16:54  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey, GT boasts of a high-profile editorial team.
Has the "sore eyes" affected their eyesight?
What say Derrick?
Probably the urine therapy has blurred yours and your colleagues' vision.

24 October 2007 at 16:57  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I suppose it was the handiwork of some overzealous editorial staff.

24 October 2007 at 17:00  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Derrick, are there any dark alleys in GT.
Aleixo Sequeira will be more then happy to provide some sodium vapour lamps.

24 October 2007 at 17:03  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think our friend Andrew Pereira (crime reporter GT) will shed more light on FIRs.
Probably he can conduct a crash course for his unintiated colleagues.
Can't trust Franky from herald. He will give only the police version.

24 October 2007 at 17:06  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I hope GT does not go the Herald way.
GT is one paper i prefer for quality news and views.
In any case must appreciate the good work done by the penpricks.
I suppose all the publications will also take penpricks in the right spirit.

24 October 2007 at 17:11  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ophthalmologists are new to the field of eye treatment. There exists an even more ancient treatment practiced particularly in northern India. It had even grabbed the the attention of Late Moraji Desai. Urine is the elixir of life!

Derek Almeida of Gomantak Times has become a disciple of it. Please read the Gomantak's Weekender of this past Sunday. The column called 'FootLoose' (on Pg. 2) goes into the nauseating details. He claims he cured conjunctivitis with his pee! What's Derek going to suggest next? Eating Cockroaches or perhaps the Mongolian drink where women chew on the pulses before serving it in a drink, or dogs as in Nagaland? Are there any medicinal properties of poop, Derek?

So penpricks, don't recommend these guys to the doc, for instead they need Derek's shock treatment.

Did you guys miss the story of that Dempo college principal on the front page of the same Weekender issue? The report does not name the persons of the Goa State Commission for Women(GSCW). Is it a move by the Congress' Mapusa ticket aspirant Mrs. Salgaonkar to clandestinely enter articles for candidate & voter recall value? The report suggests, that the principal(defendant) was not summoned. All the witnesses state is that the lady visited the principal's cabin very often.

The aspects that Weekender failed in are

1. Isn't a newspaper expected to ask for the other side of the story? (namely that of the principal)

2. If someone visits someone's cabin, is that suggestive of something?

3. Do staff of college watch out for people entering the cabin?

4. Does that make for front page and that too on the weekend? Did Gomantak learn of it only on the previous Saturday?

Pee treatment is the way to go!

24 October 2007 at 18:22  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey pricks,
Check the story on `banglaore lovebirds'in Herald and GT.
See the difference in reporting. One is typical police version Franky `estyle' of boot-licking and the other well-balanced Andrew style.

25 October 2007 at 15:29  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

GT carried a story today which no other english daily carried.

It's a front page story called "HC pulls up erring Panchayat director".

Now, why have other papers not latched onto this one? How can a director send his equal ranking colleague to do an inspection?

This director, unlike his predecessor hates to hear any panchayat cases. The lawyers are laughing all the way to the bank, cause they get paid handsomely for just taking an adjournment.

Is there no journo who lives in a panchayat area? or perhaps know someone who lives there?
GT has done well so far. Let's watch out whether other papers carry the story of whether the director submits his report today.

I hear there are over a thousand cases pending, some of which exceed 14 years!
BTW if some journo is interested, he/she could ask under right to information, the number of cases this director hears and do a comparison to his predecessors.
You want the shocking answer...? It averages close to 0 a month!

26 October 2007 at 14:34  

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