The End?

At every second bar where they play rock in this land of ours, The Doors' The End is the anthem song to end the night. That is the song that some people must have been listening to as the sordid tale of NewsX came (temporarily at least) to a screeching halt. Whatever happened there over the past few weeks might never come out in a no-holds-barred book. Well, you never know, I still think it would make a great made-for-TV drama. Of course, if one side does 'fictionalise' it, you could end up with something like 'Star Stories'.
Anyway, as Deccan Chronicle goes all out to launch their new business paper, they are making what it seems to be some very strange recruitment decisions. But then again, 'paragon' of journalism, that group is not. In fact, the person they seem to be tapping up to head their Delhi operations has barely three years in the profession and according to those who know him well, he takes instructions (read: stories) over the phone from PR reps.
Also interestingly, tomorrow will see the last of the 'Indian of the Year' award shows and the person will be a fairly suitable, non-controversial person whom everyone can hug. Like the Prime Minister, who was awarded by UndieTV. But, lets be honest, you give Manmohan Singh, who has been the most ineffectual Prime Minister in India's history (including that 1979-vala PM) the award? Shouldn't the Indian of the Year go to the guy who got the most headlines? Or the most SMS votes? Well, about SMS votes, the votes are 'weighted' so that a certain Chief Minister doesn't end up hogging all the awards. At a leading newspaper, NM managed a huge number of votes, much more than anyone else and they were so scared of declaring him the winner, they 'weighted' the votes.
My right-wing sympathies are not a secret, but for crying out loud! But, as a senior editor at a news channel told me, this is just a way for the marketing types to figure out a way to make more money and a chance for the reporters and editors to get drunk at the post-awards show ceremony. As he said, 'Who cares?' Because as another person told me recently, 'All news is entertainment and all entertainment is news.' After all, who gives a flying f?