A conversation...

Not exactly a state of the media post, but I was talking to a friend who has recently quit the profession the other day and she made a few points which I found very appropriate. I asked her to put her points down in a mail and though she asked me to clean it up, a combination of sloth and the fact that I really don't believe this needs any cleaning up, because that will really make it lose its import. Here is that person's undiluted email (she calls it a rant, but anyway).
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I've done my time at plenty of media organisations for over ten years and I am stunned by the whole attitude of self righteousness journalists as a clan possess. They are the first to lift a finger and point out favours for bribes, sexual discrimination, gender biases in society, religious discrimination and social ostracisation based on everything from size and weight to ugly betty-ness. Now imagine this - what would any media organisation do if the GM or MD of a major MNC or bank was caught demanding free lunches/ all-expense paid trips from a five star hotel just because they had their account? Cry bloody murder more often than not. But that is what most media organisations and their journalists do. What would the media do if appointments to key positions in an organisation - let's say hypothetically dear lawyers - Reliance were found to have been because of the candidates proximity to a certain Mr Ambani? Bring the house down? Please tell me which of your editors/ senior journalists have been appointed purely on merit based on a series of interviews and not on proximity to top management?

As a woman, I have worked with the top private sector company - Tatas, arguably the top public sector company - IL&FS a mom and pop shop that shall remain unnamed and over 4 different media organisations. I have never been sexually harassed or felt threatened, had my promotions questioned or been unfairly treated in any of the former. I have had issues, yes. But there were always forums, platforms, channels by which to address and solve them. The Tatas famously used a mentoring system by which you can sit down and sort an issue against your immediate boss - with the intervention of seniors without this being used against you in any way in the future. And it works brilliantly.

Protest in a media organisation and stories and spiked, killed, you will be offered a quiet transfer if you make a big enough noise, or you can find a job with an opposing camp if you simply won't be quiet at all.

The only organisations to turn me down with concerns about gender and sexuality at job interviews have been media organisations. One then-senior editor thankfully now no more than a peer, once famously said to me 'You are qualified and capable but you are a single mom and I don't believe you can deliver, so sorry.' In any other industry that would have been grounds to sue.

I have worked with top media bosses sitting in their second floor then-durbars at recruitment phases where candidates who fitted the part were turned down because 'they were too fat'.

Private sector companies have processes and norms in place. Recruitment is taken very seriously and follows civilised standards. You need to justify why you've hired someone, you check credentials, you background check them. Then they are held accountable for what they bring to the table. Everywhere except in the media.

Who does the media think it is? Look at the world around you - every industry has norms except the media. Every industry is progressing into making the workplace a safer healthier more professional environment except the media. The things journalists get away with would be grounds for getting the sack in any other industry. You even need to justify dating a co-worker in some, let alone taking a free meal.

Is the media really equipped to point a finger at any other industry, social or political evil? Look in the mirror guys and oh... take out the trash.

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Edited for typos!