‘Breaking News’ breaks TN’s hearts

“The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated,” she might have said had he she been well enough to sit up and emulate Mark Twain whose obituary was printed prematurely in an American newspaper. The race to be the first to carry tidings, any news good or bad, may have led to some jumping the gun in announcing the demise of J. Jayalalithaa, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

The classical error seems to have emerged out of a channel close to the ruling party, Jaya TV, which may have put out a slide not meant for telecasting on the screen saying the Tamil Nadu CM had expired. That was cue enough for other Tamil channels like Thanthi TV to jump in to stake a claim to be the first in the ‘Breaking News’ race.

The race for eyeballs had an abrupt end here as the news was at once denied by Apollo Hospitals and there were clarifications and apologies all round from a bouquet of Tamil channels. And then the wait began all over again in the worst possible scenario for news journalists of all media! Jokes began doing the rounds on the social media saying ‘This happens only in TN where TV channels put out health bulletins and Apollo Hospitals puts out press releases.’

The first bulletin that widely reached the audience was the Thanthi TV and tension started in Madurai where people began stoning buses and anxious AIADMK cadres began contemplating extreme steps. This farce at least had a not so sad ending with the CM still battling for life.

The race for eyeballs had an abrupt end here as the news was at once denied by Apollo Hospitals and there were clarifications and apologies all round from a bouquet of Tamil channels.