BATTLEGROUND HERALD ROUND I -- FILIPINO FIRE v/s ASHWIN COMBAT
Hi, guys we've been away for a while haven't we? Allow us to confide in you folks, things have been tough for a while now. Herald editor Robin's exit has made life pretty tough for us. The bugger had made updating this blog so easy for us. Its not that we hated Robin...
Look it was like this.
You could pick up any edition of the Herald at the time when Robin was in charge and pin it up against a wall, say about five metres from you. Then you could have hunted around for bit of cloth, long enough to go around your face once, with enough give for a simple knot. But before this, you had better made sure you guys had a throwing knife handy. You know the one that doesn't wobble much when you hurl it at the target.
The irony was that you don't even need to take a deep breath, the way these magicians do on the telly or at the circus. Just throw the goddamn blade and chances were that the very point at which it sinks into the newspaper is either a misplaced comma, fullstop or a mispelt word say for example 'vegatabel'.
And we aren't even considering the possibility, that if you've thrown the knife hard enough, there was every likelihood of you having a mutilated plagiarised editorial on your hands.
We thought things may have changed with Ashwin's taking over. But when this story slipped into Herald's pages a couple of days ago, we were convinced that Ashwin would not only have to deal with Herald's rampaging printer's devil, but also the ghost of Robin Abreu which still seems to be lingering about.
This is the story we are talking about.
HCN team covers Delhi developments
BY HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JAN 19 — HCN, Goa’s popular channel, has sent its team of reporters and cameramen to New Delhi, to provide latest and in-depth coverage of the current political situation that has engulfed the State and New Delhi.
Special news programmes of events in New Delhi will be featured in addition to HCN’s ongoing coverage of political events in the State.
Within a short span of less than a year, HCN has already attracted a growing number of viewers in the State with its extensive coverage of news, analysis, entertainment and feature programmes.
HCN uses the latest technology and has an experienced team to present its viewers with the best of programmes round the clock.
'Cross branding' is a tricky thing and if enough thought isn't applied, it could be as embarrasing as a GSB Mhamai-Kamat would feel his teenaged son takes a sudden fancy to cross-dressing instead of the Hanuman chalisa. The last time this newspaper tried it, was a couple of years ago, when Herald 'expanded' it's business interests from word-smithery to fancy carpentary.
This hilarious story appeared as a Page 1 single. Only, its owner Raul Fernandes had just been swept away with his love for Philippines.
The story we have reproduced above is a also manifestation of Raul's love for the SE Asian nation. It is Raul's girl-friend and her fellow Filipinos mates who head Herald Cable News' top management.
The story of how this miserable and sad self promotional (its actually pitiable) bit slipped into the newspaper would actually be interesting, if there were someone to tell it. Imagine a news report that informs you of a team that is going to cover news.
And we have a small disclosure to make here... A team of one reporter and one cameraman was dispatched by HCN and not a team of reporters as they have claimed. And the latest technology which the story lays claim to is 'YOUTUBE'...
Look it was like this.
You could pick up any edition of the Herald at the time when Robin was in charge and pin it up against a wall, say about five metres from you. Then you could have hunted around for bit of cloth, long enough to go around your face once, with enough give for a simple knot. But before this, you had better made sure you guys had a throwing knife handy. You know the one that doesn't wobble much when you hurl it at the target.
The irony was that you don't even need to take a deep breath, the way these magicians do on the telly or at the circus. Just throw the goddamn blade and chances were that the very point at which it sinks into the newspaper is either a misplaced comma, fullstop or a mispelt word say for example 'vegatabel'.
And we aren't even considering the possibility, that if you've thrown the knife hard enough, there was every likelihood of you having a mutilated plagiarised editorial on your hands.
We thought things may have changed with Ashwin's taking over. But when this story slipped into Herald's pages a couple of days ago, we were convinced that Ashwin would not only have to deal with Herald's rampaging printer's devil, but also the ghost of Robin Abreu which still seems to be lingering about.
This is the story we are talking about.
HCN team covers Delhi developments
BY HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JAN 19 — HCN, Goa’s popular channel, has sent its team of reporters and cameramen to New Delhi, to provide latest and in-depth coverage of the current political situation that has engulfed the State and New Delhi.
Special news programmes of events in New Delhi will be featured in addition to HCN’s ongoing coverage of political events in the State.
Within a short span of less than a year, HCN has already attracted a growing number of viewers in the State with its extensive coverage of news, analysis, entertainment and feature programmes.
HCN uses the latest technology and has an experienced team to present its viewers with the best of programmes round the clock.
'Cross branding' is a tricky thing and if enough thought isn't applied, it could be as embarrasing as a GSB Mhamai-Kamat would feel his teenaged son takes a sudden fancy to cross-dressing instead of the Hanuman chalisa. The last time this newspaper tried it, was a couple of years ago, when Herald 'expanded' it's business interests from word-smithery to fancy carpentary.
This hilarious story appeared as a Page 1 single. Only, its owner Raul Fernandes had just been swept away with his love for Philippines.
The story we have reproduced above is a also manifestation of Raul's love for the SE Asian nation. It is Raul's girl-friend and her fellow Filipinos mates who head Herald Cable News' top management.
The story of how this miserable and sad self promotional (its actually pitiable) bit slipped into the newspaper would actually be interesting, if there were someone to tell it. Imagine a news report that informs you of a team that is going to cover news.
And we have a small disclosure to make here... A team of one reporter and one cameraman was dispatched by HCN and not a team of reporters as they have claimed. And the latest technology which the story lays claim to is 'YOUTUBE'...
posted by Pen Pricks at
21:49
12 Comments:
HCN Goa's popular channel? I can't help laughing. On its signboard displayed prominently outside the Herald office it says HCN News and Entertainment Channel. Someone rightly suggested the Herald MD should strike the word News off the board. Cause HCN is more of an entertainment channel. Their newbie reporters are the type to ask Jose Philip "How is the weather in Delhi?" and whether Mickky is shivering too much to require a straitjacket. Oh yes they do have the latest technology. They telecast day before yesterday's news tomorrow and feature programmes that make you yawn. They don't just let you know who is going where to cover what, they even give you a complete list of who is behind producing every news clip complete with videos of the whole team from the executive secretary to the MD. Except that the MD is never visible. Don't take my word bluntly. Just watch the channel.
So if you want to kidnap anyone from the HCN news team please watch the credits after every bulletin. Then demand a ransom in lakhs from the MD.It won't hurt him much cause by rough estimates he's invested Rs 25 lakh in making an illegal floor look legal. Oh, if you want to raise your stakes, kidnap his Filipino girlfriend.
Ashwin Tombat I didn't know you gave assent to such pathetic donkey-praises-his-own-tail promotional material. Are you afraid that you too will be sent to sell furniture in Belgaum like Robin? I thought you had some spine.
They all suck. Every local news channel. Shoddy reporting. Pathetic presentation. Disgusting diction. HCN takes the cake though for maintaining that "History repeats itself", lack of content made up with repeat telecasts time and again.
BTW penpricks, how about a view on Goa365 (the channel linked to Navhind Times and promoted by Dempo and Dhume)
They are all bleeding. Guess mysterious funds must be propping them up as long as they maintain their slants (no pun intended to the Flips from SE Asia)
Yes, Penpricks, please focus your attention on Goa 365. With just one amateur reporter on the beat, it is anybody's guess as to how these guys pull along. BTW almost all ex-Goa 365 employees are rubbing their hands in glee at the plight of Julio D'Silva who got a taste of his own medicine at the hands of the Director Suhan Karkal. Any doubts, ask Kenzil Vishwanathan(the black skinned loud mouthed negro working for HCN) for more details on l'affaire Julio D'Silva. That copy will make for a good post.
Hey what is the latest on Julio. Can we please have the details.
Hey PP,
This one on HCN takes the Cake. Remember the fracas outside Babush's which sent poor Chidambaram to the ICU. The Filipinos were seen filming in true Mandarin movie style the poor Youth Congress Guys and Babush's Cronies including HCN's Fontainhas based pet poodle Rudresh Chodankar. Only when they went back to the studios...they discovered that the Cameras were not loaded with Mini DV Tapes. The smart filipinos had home insurance from Raul Filipino Girlfriend...But then it happens only in Goa.
Hi guys... a nasty comment had slipped through, earlier in the day today. It made unsubstantiated insinuations on Ashwin Tombat's personal life. Damn... it shouldnt have happened... We have deleted it. It shouldn't have been up here...
If you say a nasty comment about Ashwin was allowed to go. How did you allow so many ‘nasty’ comments to appear about Robin Abreu and Arun Sinha in the past couple of months? Have you checked all the facts that you have carried about these above-mentioned editors. Are you sure Arun Sinha has molested a girl in his house? If you are giving one a benefit of doubt. Give all else.
The main aim of PP was to remove Robin from his post. That you have succeeded. I think you got to treat Ashwin Tombat in the same manner as Robin. Be critical of his working, style and journalism skills. Or does Ashwin have a stake in Pen Pricks?
It has been a while since you have targeted Derek at GT. Looking forward to some juice on him.
Does anonymous no 7 deny the fact that Arun Sinha has protected and promoted one columnist who is also a notorious molestor? Carry on Penpricks, do not get unnerved by 'Chamchas' from Navhind and Herald.
They are Sick old people, you know!
All loacal dailies carry a line
Editor * < name > (* Responsible for selection of news under PRB Act)
Herald has stopped carrying this sentence.
(Dunno about Navhind)
Is this ommission punishable?
BTW, Where is Robin Abreu currently?
The word "Chamcha" is not correct. We just respond to the various comments. Nobody pays us to do their bidding. We are scribes who contribute to Pen Pricks to rid the system of the rot. The point being made by Comment No 7 was that if something was found offensive against Ashwin Tombat, the same rule should be applied to other Editors. Why is PP getting into the hair of these two Editors only? are the other Editors above board. Is Derek doing a superb job at GT? that too is open to debate and discussion. I think by calling somebody a "chamcha" is only lowering the standard of discussion, interaction and debate of serious issues in the media / press.
Chamcha is definitely derogatory. It is worst than any of the words contained in the original comment which was taken out by PP.
Pen pricks should apologise to all of us who contribute to this blog.
It is a sad reflection on who we all are. We have worked with Ashwin in GT and know him first hand. The original comment reflected our knowledge about him. I think PP should aplologise to all of us for allowing the terms ‘chamcha’ and ‘Sick old people’ to pass you guys.
Or else we will be constrained to stop contributing to you guys in the future and stop passing ‘inside’ information about our news organizations which will remain ‘top secret’.
pricks,
about HCN raul and his filipino GF. its time you updated yourselves. she is no more the GF and is actually going out with the Corina bar/rest owner. not very heartening for raul eh?
ofcourse you will have to watch how the new duo elvis and angela (oops!) do karaoke numbers every night. so she has found her vocation and so heyyyyyyy cheers!
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