Saturday 1 March 2008

इब्तेदा ऐ इश्क है रोता है क्या, आगे आगे देखिये होता है क्या*

Guys do you know which is the only bird in the world that can fly backwards?
It’s the Humming Bird fellas… It can fly straight to a flower, slip into it, suck the nectar off and then dart
right back in reverse to where it came from…
And right now a bunch of journos from Goa are giving the poor Humming bird a whole lot of competition. Know what guys right now... as of today, the coming of Times Of India into Goa, is quite like a truckload of rice entering Somalia in the 90s. These particular guys are desperate... It would be really very harsh to take a call here, about whats right or wrong. After years of very blatant, obvious exploitation by petty minded newspaper owners, TOI presents them with a chance to wet their bills a bit.
But what really blows our mind -- the Hummingbird bit -- is the shameless, mercenary haze has descended some of our journos. A sort of chicanery has crept in. Guess it would be the same sort of a thing a jackal would feel if he were given the lions powers for a day.
We are going to call names here. This may hurt the guys, but what these guys are indulging in really unbecoming. Errol and Melvin from the Herald, Ramnath Raikar from the Navhind Times (we are sure about these instances) have been running to and from their respective newspaper to the TOI and back, with offers and counter offers, acting like aging brides, who've suddenly found a couple of old, rich and desperate geriatic gentlemen, both eager to marry within the month.
Then there is the other lot of buggers like Joel, Sergio, Choppy from the Herald, who (like one of the fellas who's commented) have been rewarded by the newspaper bosses for the blood and sweat they've given the organisation over the years, alongwith generous doses of graphic inefficiency and sycophancy.
* This is just the beginning of love, wait and see what happens ahead.
(As we write this, we just learnt that the Jain run news channel GOA NEWS has shut down operations. Anyone has inputs?)

29 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why did Penpricks not name Frederick Noronha who wrote a rather vicious and jeolous open letter and circulated it in the Internet

Why attack the undelinks who were trying to stay afloat.

Again a bias for Gomantak Times. Did nobody from GT go and did the trick of aging bride... oh i forgot the fellows might not have got selected

1 March 2008 at 07:25  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well do not worry TOI is on its way out.With the launch of Sakal Times in June things will go in for a spin and TOI will be in for trouble and will probably go up for liquidation.

Look at GT it has improved a lot from the days when Sujay Gupta was the Editor,with Derrick Almeida asuming the charge as Editor.

Derrick with his invisive editorials and a good team of Journalists and the Desk being manned by the best will be backing the paper up with great story ideas and great support from the civil society of Goa.

GT is definatly going to maul TOI.

1 March 2008 at 07:33  
Blogger Shiv Kumar said...

what is this bit in the vernacular if you can translate this for us poor sods who have taken to secretly admiring Raj Thackeray for making us look inadequate in the linguistics department?

1 March 2008 at 10:23  
Blogger Shiv Kumar said...

Sakal Times will maul ToI!!

I didn't know Raghubir Yadav, the actor, is a reader of penpricks.

Very talented actor whose best role till date was as Mungerilal in the serial - Mungerilal ke haseen sapne....

1 March 2008 at 10:38  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why target Erol and Melvin only? Hasn't Julian and Franky done the same thing? Come on pricks, you need to be indiscriminating when it comes to criticising persons.

1 March 2008 at 12:15  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Kya Miliye aise logon se(Ramnath Raikar se) jinki fitrat chupi rahe....
Nakli Chehra samne aaye, "ASLI SURAT" chupi rahe.
SHAME SHAME RAMNATH RAIKAR

1 March 2008 at 15:05  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sakal Times will maul TOI ! ?

What an IDEA Sir Ji ?

Its like Mauritius offering a helping hand to India to finish Pakistan .

1 March 2008 at 15:47  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Is Frederick Noronha trying to emerge as Subramaniam Swamy of GOA ?

1 March 2008 at 15:49  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"GOREY GOREY MUKHDE, DIL KAALE KAALE"
Ramnath Raikar, the wolf in sheep's clothing, is at last caught with his pants down.
Last month, the same Raikar who was seen signing praises of TOI is now cursing it like hell. You have rightly called him a mercenary. It's only when Raikar understood that TOI under Raju Nayak has slammed the TOI door on his face(due to the overtly pro-Parrikar pro-BJP copies which he files day in and out for NT) that he began singing paeans hailing NT. Because, during Raikar's short lived dalliance with TOI, the same ungrateful Raikar was happily bad-mouthing NT and its full team - Editor Arun Sinha, Abdul Rauf Beig, Shaikh Jamaluddin and Joaquim Fernandes(the latter having recently joined TOI).
It is really heartening to see this post hold a mirror to Raikar's fair face. For, behind Raikar's innocent fair face lies a scheming, schrewd and calculative mind - much like his hero and idol Manohar Parrikar). "Gorey Gorey Mukhde, Dil Kaale Kaale" adage sits well on Raikar's shoulders.
Well done Ramnath Raikar, keep up the GOOD(sic) work. You will definitely go places.

1 March 2008 at 17:28  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What do you have to say about Vijay, Julian and Gilu.

All of them left Herald joined TOI and then came back again to Herald.

Do they also fall in the category of the Humming Bird???

1 March 2008 at 19:20  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

1 March 2008 at 20:48  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

A message informing about the channel being closed due to "tech. reasons", continues to be displayed night and day.

My question is... Who pays for the satellite usage for this month?

BTW...if the cap suits u, the word 'quite' and 'quiet' have different meanings.

2 March 2008 at 21:07  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Here is the story of Goa News as the dust is yet to settle down. It was the case of a Goliath that was simply not recognised as one and the Davids who hung around like the dogs of Journalist Colony, the newshound variety.

Believe it or not, the Jugal Kishore Jain not to be confused with Dr. J. K. Jain of JAIN TV was coaxed into getting Goa News to Goa by our journo Houdini Sachin Borkar and his sidekick Taresh Kumar Sabharwal (the same guy who had a Goan Wife who wouldn't relocate). Borkar promised him 1000 kms of PWD Roads, a part of the Narvekar IT Park at Doana Paula and all the Govt. Advts. Hectic activity, two huge full page appointment advts, in Navhind Times and a sneak, Administrator granted permission (they got many such permissions to develop their real estate interests during last Panchayat Polls in June 2007 when Panchayats were run by Administrators) to operate in Journalist Colony later GOA NEWS made a quite entry.

So far so good. But the operations were run by money from Nirvana Nest (yes, the same builders who built flats on property demarcated for school in Rangavi Estate on Bogmalo Road with Administrator and who saw to it that no news was ever reported about Assagao, Arpora & Anjuna Panchayat). Run by another Dilliwala Baniya Gokul Kumar with a penchant for people doing stuff for him and he not paying. Gokul actually funds all the other channels with a huge amount of sum Rs. 15 crores from his Goa operations. So You had all his real estate brokers led by Money Wadhwa wielding Press Cards and driving around in GOA NEWS PRESS stickered cars. Especially the Silver Green Innova and Black Merc that took clientele around and were shown off Goa News with "Sadda Channel hai jee".

Borkar packed in 15 of his relatives including his sister-in-law, brother-in-laws and while he took no salary of his own, would actually draw lakhs of rupees on vouchers and draw salary on behalf of his 15 relatives. Borkar alongwith his cronies Jayant Katkar, Mukesh Kaisurvekar, Rajesh D'Silva, Bhushan Anvekar (he is Subhash Shirodkar's Nephew), etc ran the organisation as a personal fiefdom. Both he and Jain sharing a common love for the Congress Party.

But Gokul wanted money to come out of Goa Govt. for Goa News and Borkar didn't want to work. Excuses later Jain sacked Borkar. A team led by Jayant Katkar, Mukesh Kaisurvekar, Rajesh D'Silva, Bhushan Anvekar and anchor Trevor Noronha who was also job hunting at HCN led a signature campaign revolt. The bid fell through because the Gentlemen mentioned above actually faked 70+ signatures. Most of the guys were kicked out but the last two survived with their ass-kissing credentials.

Borkar tried to break into the premise and create a ruckus but ended up at the Police Station. Penpricks had reported that story earlier. But hey Penpricks, something all of us should know about Sachin Borkar. He has over a dozen Non Bailable Warrants against him at Old Goa Police Station and has Umesh Gaonkar baying for his blood (edited). Check their records. Coming back to Sachin who swore to close down Goa News in 24 hours. Nothing happened. Aided by a xenophobe Rudresh Chodankar, Corporator and c... Cable Operator (he owes 'allegedly' (edited) lakhs to STAR) he closed down the Channel to viewers of Panaji and Porvorim. Goa News's lifeline was cut forever.

With a disinterested Gokul, a s.. maniac Money Wadhwa (he was actually eyeing anchors), Nirvana Nest's lawyer Amit Palyekar (with a perennial hate for Aires Rodrigues & BJP) and his wife Rasika Palyekar the mandate was to shut down Goa News. They were operating in a residential area, running two lakhs of rupees as electricity arrears, operating a generator without permission of / despite ban by GPSCB. What more the Goa News Staffers were deducted 10.31% from their salaries for which they have no proof. TDS, PF, ESI all deducted but never paid to the authorities by the mysterious Nirvana Nest operating near O' Coqueiro Junction.

Staffers were told that the Channel will be off air from midnight 29th February, collect your salary for the current month. All the tax deductions gone with the Gokul WInd. What was even more shameful was to see Goa's famous seedy (oops...CD) channels pouncing on the hapless staffers for a byte, the journos were their to gloat more than express solidarity and demand justice.

Hey Guys, I have been watching the Channel no great shakes. But well, they were the only satellite channel beaming out of Goa and yes, the only one with 24 hours newscast (even if recorded) and the only one with a license to operate in a state where no one else has Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

Goa News is not the end but the beginning. The beginning that even we can attempt having a satellite channel out here in Goa.

3 March 2008 at 10:58  
Blogger Pen Pricks said...

SOme of the comments in the aober response have been edited...

To Mumbai journo: Man... that's Hindi... and you could follow the asterisk to figure out...

3 March 2008 at 11:00  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The Times of India has almost finalised its date for launching the Goa edition. But it is facing a lot of problem as far as recruiting of staff is concerned. It has sent offer letters to most of the sub-editors and reporters in Goa but most of them are not willing to fall to TOI's bait. The reason while most of the Goan jounralists are not ready to join TOI because of the bad experience of TOI when it has launched a new edition in other places. When TOI launches a new edition it recruits a lot of staff and gives them 3 years contract. But once the base is set, it starts reducing the staff and only the best and the cream of the staff is retained. While the rest (read the mediocore) are dismissed. TOI also does nasty things like deputing the mediocore staff to far of places in other states after just one year of service. Their clause in the terms of agreement while signing the appointment bond allows them to send their staff to any part of the country.
I would urge the Goan journalists not to fall to TOI's bait and wait for atleast one year to see how TOI functions.
The TOI's has high standard and I doubt if the staff in GOAN newspaper is that competent. There are many mistakes in the GOAN newspapers and you can make out that most of the sub-ediors and reporters are not fit for their job.

3 March 2008 at 13:58  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Roana, I hope you are reading this post.

3 March 2008 at 14:32  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ramnath Raikar, does the "CHENNAI BASED BEAUTY" have any inclination of your mercenary escapades with TOI Goa?
SAMAJHNEWALE KO ISHARA KAAFI HAI. Hai ki nahin Ramnath Raikar?

3 March 2008 at 14:36  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well Goajourno don't go for the TOI bait take the Sakal Times route.
With Derrick Almeida as the Editor, Ashley Rosario and Thapa manning the Desk. Rico and Mayabhushan advising with Pamela in toe. Things are definatly going on high spin in Sakal Times launching June.

Even if Sakal fails maximum one will be posted in Maharashtra not all over India as in the case of TOI.

So the choice is clear it is Sakal all the way.

3 March 2008 at 19:29  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If journalists have been selected by ToI and opted not to take the bait, what's wrong with it? Why call them 'mercenary'... unless you pricks (who are obviously also journos) are feeling left out because you didn't get the ToI call. I see some very sour grapes here.

4 March 2008 at 17:33  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

sour grapes anon

How about 'slavery' and 'exploitation'

5 March 2008 at 00:56  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

how about 'rags' to 'riches'? how about recognition for being talented (and not an ass wipe)

5 March 2008 at 07:01  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I left a comment that was critical of you guys yesterday, and it hasn't seen the light of day.

Looks like you guys are good at handing it out, but very sensitive about taking it on the chin.

Too bad; I thought you guys had more stuff in you. It's a shame, but I suppose I should have expected it.

Unless you're more amenable tp publishing non-abusive letters that attack you, it will only confirmed that what drives you is jealousy. This is no crusade, it's just a gossip room.

5 March 2008 at 13:17  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

ass wipe anon:

Almost all private companies prefer you this way.

Did you know that senior bureaucrats carry the bags of politicians on foreign jaunts? (Peons/chaprasis don't go along.)
What about the lucrative postings, how are they obtained?

What are the things the military guys, have to do inorder to get the coveted Goa posting?

During Emergency the Indian Express was brought to it's knees, TOI survived!

The persons in the judiciary come from the same society as all of us do. But, it is a taboo to talk ill about them. They are mighty; and might is right, so I will leave it at that.

5 March 2008 at 16:13  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

On March 4 , on Pg 5 of NT, Goa News released an advert claiming that they are shifting to new premises.

They are not closing down as is being claimed by anon @ 03 March 2008 10:58

5 March 2008 at 16:43  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

HCN did a story about GOA NEWS wherein, it appears that employees have been given the boot without 3 months salary.( for not being intimated 1 month in advance.)

Is GN trying the old trick of fooling the employees, by publishing misleading ads as a smokescreen, so as to enable them to take away their expensive equipment ?

Anybody got some info??

6 March 2008 at 00:26  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

About Goa News,I want to say that Sachin Borkar has done Very good work.This is the first time in Goan History that 1st 24 Hour Satellite News Channel came in Goa Coz of our journo friend Sachin Borker.We must appreciate for the work he had done.As per my knowledge,even GOA NEWS got telecast permission b'coz of Borkar.He was not kicked out by Goa News Management but resigned due to interference in his work by Bihari babus specially from Delhi.One Bihari babu named Ajay Thakur (edited) in Western India Shipyards responsible for resignation of Borkar.Borkar had full faith of Ajay Thakur.Main Willain of Goa News was only Ajay Thakur.Goa News Closed down b'coz of this dirty politics.Borkar was inocent.He trusted Ajay thats why everything's finished.Borkar Sir,I salute you.We got job b'coz of you only.Total employees of Goa News always grateful to you. (comment edited -- Penpricks)

6 March 2008 at 19:54  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Pen Pricks!Pls make the correction in my blog posted on 06 March 2008 at 19.54 Regarding GOA NEWS(The main Villain on place of Main willain)

Second correction is innocent on place of inocent

Thank you,

Regards,
ABHIR HALARNKAR

7 March 2008 at 00:32  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

third correction is that is the excessive use of 'on' in place of 'in'....

Ignore me.... Im a retard.

Regards

ABHIR HALARNKAR

7 March 2008 at 07:15  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My name is... my name is... my name is... Asswipe Halarnkar

7 March 2008 at 07:18  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home