What media masala…choicest ingredients of rice, spice and tadka…two sensational sporting stars..two rival nations….an alleged wedding with a not so pleasing Hyderabadi lass… allegations and counter allegations…bickering...crying…loathing and loving… not a single spice was amiss in the Sania Shoaib Saga- a perfect recipe for across media- cheap tabloids to the classy- to cook and sell!

Child marriage, preference for the male child, ‘honor killings’, forceful marriages, caste system and child labor- pertinent social evils and stories woven around them. There has undoubtedly been a paradigm shift in Indian television in the past 5 years. Television is addressing real issues. The era of the saas bahu sagas, repeated in almost every single show on air- has concluded with the launch and subsequent success of shows like Balika Badhu, Bhaagya Vidhaata, Mitwa, Abke Janam etc.

“ Indian students brutally attacked in Australia”, “Another Indian student attacked in Australia”, “Four Indian students attacked in Australia”, “Indian student stabbed to death in Melbourne...” We all are familiar with these headlines, which are constantly making their space on the front pages of various newspapers and repeatedly flashing on the web portals and news channels. The number of attacks and the fact that they are all on Indians clearly indicate the racist angle.

26th Nov’08, Mumbai. 9 pm. I returned home after an exhausting flight to Delhi from B.A.G’s Mumbai office. I sat to pursue my daily unwinding ritual of channel surfing. Least did I expect to see the dastardly act that was shaking the city and draining blood of the country. I immediately got on the phone to connect with the News 24 Mumbai and Delhi team. The channel had already dispatched reporters who were already present and reporting from ground zero.

Recession 2008. Feared to be the worst slowdown since the great depression of the 1930s, the recession had its spiralling effect on the global economy. The closure of giant multi national banks and companies sent the world economy into a tizzy and the panic that permeated the world workforce was there for all of us to feel. Largely thriving on the marketing budgets of corporate houses, the downsizing of marketing budgets of almost all corporate houses impacted the media industry.

Jai Ho! We cannot stop singing these words ever since music maestro AR Rahman and sound magician Resul Pookutty created history at the Oscars. A historic and proud moment for us in India. Amidst all the celebration, criticism of the film can be heard from many nooks and corners. Slumdog Millionaire sells India as India sells best, they say. The poverty stricken, filth ridden country that is miraculously bewitching with its slums and smells.

Crime is an evil of society that can be controlled but never totally eliminated. Just as much as I believe the same, some incidents disturb me endlessly. I feel angered and somewhere helpless as a citizen of my country. The gang rape at Noida on 7.1.09 in one of the busiest malls in the heart of the suburb is a ghastly act that is hounding my mind ever since it happened. To top the matter, the kith of the accused believe, as per newspaper reports, that rape is no big a deal.

As various industries grow and expand, opportunities for professionals proportionately increase. With women coming to the forefront in various spheres of society, seldom are opportunities restricted to the so called “preferred sex” in today’s times. Every year sees an increasing number of women graduating from educational and professional institutions. In the past years, however, the situation has changed manifold.

In today’s times I feel that focus, stability of mind, adaptability, perception and presentation are key factors for companies to succeed in a global knowledge economy. Leadership in all corporate houses plays a key role in the output and outcome of any business. In all spheres, I believe that women leadership in corporates lends the desirable crucial edge to business houses across the world.

As the word suggests, Media is a medium to reach out to the masses through various delivery platforms and it encompasses the creation of content, expression of ideas and, various techniques relating to the creation of such ideas. Media involves print, television, Radio, Feature Films, animation, gaming, internet and Mobile content and all this essentially involves content creation and its delivery through various medium to reach out to the masses.