5 ways Indian media failed Sridevi after her death
Bollywood superstar Sridevi's demise has shaken India — and it's not just the unexpectedness of her death that's left people reeling.
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The Indian media has revealed its worst excesses in its coverage of Sridevi's death and people are shocked at how low TV channels have stooped for ratings.
Here are 5 ways Indian media failed Sri Devi after her death:
1) TV channels didn't wait for the facts surrounding her death
When it was earlier reported that Sridevi died after 'cardiac arrest', TV talk shows held lengthy discussions about the state of the late actor's health.
A lot of conjecture that floated about on social media — rumours of her consuming diet pills, having weight reduction surgery, adhering to a strict keto diet, among others — made it to prime-time discussions among 'analysts', when in fact, there should have been wait for her official post-mortem report, which revealed that Sridevi died due to "accidental drowning after a loss of consciousness".
Not only was this disrespectful to the deceased, as if she was responsible for bringing about her end, it goes against media ethics to fuel rumours instead of reporting facts.
Like, this journalist said:
2) They thought it okay to simulate the scene of her death
Indian media's new motto may as well be no photo, no problem.
With no visual complement for their 'analysis', TV channels resorted to simulating the scene of Sridevi's death.
AajTak decided to place their reporter at the scene of her death, with the bathtub reading 'Maut Ka Bathtub':