Dec 13, 2004 12:59 PM
8905 Views
(Updated Dec 13, 2004 01:02 PM)
31st October 1984: The day when Mrs. Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her bodyguards brutally.All the countrymen were in a state of shock! At the time, I was a kid and understood the situation to be grave serious.
We were travelling in the Eastern side of Maharashtra on that particular day and considering the danger of situation we quickly rushed to my uncle's home. At that time, we waited for the Doordarshan, the only TV Channel to air the news. Mind you, the news used to appear once a day! The state of anxiety was over the peak and the only source of information was the Radio and the television. Radio was quick enough to sound alert about it whereas Doordarshan aired some emergency news declaring the incident.
The rumours were afloat about the riots, assassinators and anything and everything that could be a shocker arising out of such an incident. Sad enough, we didn't have any live source to get the information right.
The next day, I still remember the heavy rush that the newspaper stall witnessed in the small town named Telhara, a place atleast 300 kms. away from Nagpur. People literally bought all the copies of newspapers available on the stall to know every bit of the yesterday's unfortunate incident. Although, everyone knew the contents are going to be same!
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11th September 2001: The day when Osama crashed 4 airplanes on important places in USA also demolishing the World Trade Centre and harming the Pentagon. I was on my way home and suddenly my mobile phone rang and someone informed me about one plane hitting the Tower of WTC. I called up home and asked them to check out on the TV, the response was immediate as the response from home sounded like this'Its horrible. they are showing almost live images of a plane hitting the WTC tower.'!
The stock-market investor in me sensed the danger and called up the my broker and asked about the incident. He was prompt enough to me tell me that the second tower is also being attacked. The information was flowing from various sources.
Meanwhile, I decided to check up the CNN's website from my WAP Enabled phone and shocked to find that the Pentagon was being attacked. The information was available at the tip of my fingers. I knew it from the TV, over the ordinary phone, on the WAP. In the meantime I reached home and all the 24 hour News channels were showing the planes crashing into WTC and pentagons. I watched for entire night.
The morning newspapers were filled with it.But being overloaded with information, I skipped all and picked the usual Maharashtra Times! I didn't wanted the information now!
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I immediately recalled the incidence happened in 1984 when everybody was busy buying all the newspapers! And after 17 years, I already had enough of information on the unfortunate happening via many technological advances that made me to skip all the newspapers!
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A few years back, with lack of other media of communication avaialble for us, the newspapers played an important part in our life. It was must with morning tea for all source of information.
The technology advanced, the telephones became the feature in every home, the computer revolutionised the way information is disseminated over internet and via email. Not to mention, the recent advent of cellphones, WAPs have taken a step forward in making the news to public when they are on the move!
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What I do?
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My Desktop at office and home:I use them to check news updates on various topics that are of my interest. From Indian politics to the American strock markets, they update me on second to second basis.
I set an alert on some event and on occurance of that event I get a buzz on my messanger . I check that immediately. The news sites that are bookmarked on my browser are rediff, cnn, cnnmoney and timesofindia!
My TV: This so called Idiot Box quenches my thirst for 24 hour news by showing a number of news channels throwing news on my face every minute.
My mobile: This WAP enabled device lets me check the websites when I'm not in the office. Lets me check my mails. Keep me updated when I'm out and on the move.
My newspaper: The morning hurry to catch the train in mumbai and that stop for a second outside the Railway station to buy the newspaper is still there even after me flashing the hi-fi tech gadgets in my hand.
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What I want to point out at last
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*Technology has advanced over the years, but still the majority of people living in India and around the world have not abandoned reading the Newspapers. In fact, most of them believe the news appeared in Newspapers to be more authentic than the news seen on TV yesterday night. There is still a large section of society who can still be politically inclined by reading the newspapers.
Whether you read the newspaper or the online news, the future is in your hand! We all are well-informed people and know where our need for news would be satisfied! So type https://rediff.com or pickup that newspaper now! Its ur choice at last!
