Show me my true business. Review on CNBC TV 18

I have analysed stupid Times Group, dumb Baazee and its founders, hyped Hrithik Roshan and disgraced Azharuddin-all my own work and my own thoughts. But the greatest amount of heat I have received has been from employees of Times group and some ’brand’ conscious baazee employees. Times group employees have gone to the extent of calling me a fraud and some have threatened me with court case if I dont apologize for my review.

Baazee has been so far ethical in their rebuttal with me-the founder wrote a dying plea begging for support and some ’’former’’ baazee empoyees confirmed that Baazee is 1% value and 99% fraud. One ex baazee employee (whose ID I cannot reveal) even told me that his/her (cant reveal gender) boss, Avnish told everyone in the company that I (amrita) has been paid by Mouthshut to ridicule baazee, because mouthshut approached baazee for funding which was turned down by baazee. I learnt it recently and had the biggest laugh of my life. To all of you- who care- for what it’s worth, I write what I feel is correct, I write what I believe is true and I GIVE MY HONEST OPINIONS!

For those of you who have thought I have been subdued by people who hate me on Mouthshut- I am back., and this time with a review, I hope much better than in the past. For those of you who love my critical, honest feedback, more power to you.

With the budget around the corner, I think it will be presented in the parliament end of this month, what better product to review, then the king of business channel- the self-proclaimed ’’premier’’ (shameless) CNBC India-the Indian version of CNBC. How does one review a Televison channel? Content? Anchors? Presentation? Coverage?

Let me give you bottomline first.: CNBC India is aiming to become the TV version of Economic Times and I hate the attitude that is shaping along with it. I dont want CNBC to tell me what is good or what I bad. I just want CNBC to present me ’’AS IS’’

Content:

Overall content is good. I will settle at three stars for content. During odd hours, CNBC India tries to fill in with American talk shows, Jay Leno, David Letterman etc. Its all good, but who cares about issues that are local to Americans. Does it make sense to push jokes that make no sense to the Indian audience. I think it would be nice if CNBC can come up with original, local talk shows. Shekhar suman was good- what happened to him?

Anchors:

GIVE ME A BREAK. What do the anchors of CNBC India think of themselves? I sense so much attitude on their face. Why cant they reveal little humbleness. Smile more. Smile more. Smile more, ease your facial muscles. You’re not the best anchor-maybe you are not. Sunil Senthil (whatever his surname is) and Udayan Mukherjee are the two who really show that they care about what they are presenting. They give a chance to their guests to speak. Can we get rid of this lady who presents Storyboard-whatever her name is!

Presentation:

Overall very good. Their backdrop, visual, audio and graphical presentation are top notch.

Coverage:

CNBC India appears to me as more of a ’’you scratch my back-I will scratch yours’’ Business channel. Most of the stories and coverage revolves around their advertisers. Shamelessly, they act as unofficial PR managers for their advertisers. I feel that the content and coverage about which guest should appear is dictated by Public relations company. For once, I want to request Mr. Bahl or whoever runs the show at CNBC, to stop this nonsense PR coverage. Go for your own stories please. Please create your own stories rather than make your advertisers pitch into a story. Its sick. I dont want you to be another Times of india group. Why should I be forced to read Phaneesh murthy’s interview on your website...for all I know Phaneesh has been accused of sexual harassment. To me he is not a celebrity- I think we have dozens of managers and entreprenuers far smarter than Phaneesh to analyze BPO. If this is not PR than pray what is it?

Why should coke and pepsi get so much coverage on your channel-?Advertisers?

Who cares what ASK Raymonds thinks about HLL stock- dont we have better analysts than the same stupid ones who have managed to build some contacts with your reporters. Get new ones.

Why do stupid managers with MNCs get coverage-are they smarter than smaller but highly motivated and more sincere CEOs of small companies?

To make a point again: CNBC presentation, content is good; however, their news coverage and expert comments/analysis revolves around their advertisers and PR agencies who work with them. I hope they go for more original, fresh, exciting, cutting edge stories-inspiring stories, stories with a difference and not just stupid stories such as those covered in STORYBOARD to please ad agencies.

Comment welcome. Replies will be only to those whose comment make sense.