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Her reporting of the [[Kargil War|Kargil conflict]] was criticized by The [[Indian Navy]] Chief Admiral [[Sureesh Mehta]] who insinuated that she may have compromised the security of the troops by giving away locations.<ref>http://www.hindu.com/2008/12/03/stories/2008120360861300.htm</ref> Ms Dutt refuted these charges, citing Gen [[VP Malik]]'s book that had opined otherwise. <ref>http://ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/showcolumns.aspx?id=COLEN20080075194</ref>
Her reporting of the [[Kargil War|Kargil conflict]] was criticized by The [[Indian Navy]] Chief Admiral [[Sureesh Mehta]] who insinuated that she may have compromised the security of the troops by giving away locations.<ref>http://www.hindu.com/2008/12/03/stories/2008120360861300.htm</ref> Ms Dutt refuted these charges, citing Gen [[VP Malik]]'s book that had opined otherwise. <ref>http://ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/showcolumns.aspx?id=COLEN20080075194</ref>

Perhaps most disastrously, during the Mumbai terrorist attacks of November 2008, Barkha Dutt shared and telecast critical information live on television regarding

* the location of civilians hiding in hotels (thus potentially endangering their lives),

* the then ATS chief Hemant Karkare's safety preparation (showed him wearing a helmet and a bullet-proof vest in excruciating detail live on television: the officer succumbed to bullets in the neck),

* the exact number and location of commandos defending the hostage locations at the Taj and the Oberoi hotels (information easily available to the terrorists via television or sat phone),

* contacting the head of Oberoi to release sensitive information regarding the current hostage situation in the hotel which drastically contradicted the sanitised information released by Indian security agencies in order to keep the rescue operation uncompromised,

* she further went on to say that even though the govt said that there will be no negotiations with the terrorists, her diplomatic sources – she named the diplomat – said that negotiations are underway.

* It has been reported by a survivor(Lynne Shaw) that this information was used by terrorists in Oberoi to get to some of the hostages. There are also reports that this information may have let terrorists to the next steps by the armed forces.




Revision as of 18:56, 10 February 2009

File:Barkha.jpg
Asian Television awards, November 2007

Barkha Dutt (born December 18, 1971) is an Indian TV journalist and the group editor of English news at New Delhi Television[1].

Barkha has been recognized for her work by many international and local organizations. She has been awarded the Global Leader of Tomorrow Award twice by the World Economic Forum (2001, 2008)[2]. She writes a weekly column, Third Eye for the Hindustan Times, as well as a weekly opinion piece for the Khaleej Times.[3] She is the host of the television talk show, We the People.

She is the youngest journalist in India to be awarded the Padmashri, among the country's highest civilian honours. She is a nominated member of India's National Integration Council. She was also Asia Society Fellow in 2006 and serves on the International Advisory Council of the Asia Society. [4]

Education

Dutt was educated in Delhi and in New York. She studied at Modern School,New Delhi, graduated from St. Stephen's College, Delhi studying English literature; received a master's in Mass Communications from Jamia Millia Islamia; and a master's in journalism from Columbia University, New York.[5] She was one of the winners of the prestigious Inlaks Scholarship, which sends 6 Indians overseas to study every year.

Career

File:Barkha dutt reporting.jpg
Barkha reporting from the war front

Dutt's reporting of the Kargil conflict in 1999, including an interview with Captain Vikram Batra, brought her to prominence in India. She has since covered conflicts in Kashmir, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq.She won a padma shri for her coverage of the 2004 Tsunami . [6] As a journalist, Dutt began her career at NDTV, a TV production house which used to create news programmes and provide content to Star TV. Later, NDTV created its own independent news and content channels, and Barkha Dutt rose to be its Managing Editor for English News.She is currently Group Editor-English News. She appeals to viewers across a wide spectrum: her recent placing in a poll of Hindi newspaper readers highlights her relevance to audiences beyond the English-speaking minorities in India.[7]

Her job has inspired a Bollywood film Lakshya, in which Preity Zinta played a character called Romila Dutta, based on Barkha.[8] In 2008, another film Mission Istanbul had a character based on Barkha.[9] Emerging actress Tisca Chopra cites Barkha as someone her father wanted her to imitate, reflecting the standing Barkha has in many people's eyes.[10]

Awards

Her work has won her over twenty international and national awards including the Padma Shri Award (Journalism), 2008.[11], Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards 2005-06[12] and Commonwealth Broadcasters Award for Journalist of the Year.

Her Sunday talk show has won the maximum awards for any show across television channels, winning the Indian Television Academy award for Best Talk Show five years in a row.[13]

In 2008,Barkha Dutt received the Indian News Broadcasting Award for the Most Intelligent News Show Host.[14]

She has also received Society's Young Achievers Award. [15]

Criticism

Her reporting of the Kargil conflict was criticized by The Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta who insinuated that she may have compromised the security of the troops by giving away locations.[16] Ms Dutt refuted these charges, citing Gen VP Malik's book that had opined otherwise. [17]

Perhaps most disastrously, during the Mumbai terrorist attacks of November 2008, Barkha Dutt shared and telecast critical information live on television regarding

  • the location of civilians hiding in hotels (thus potentially endangering their lives),
  • the then ATS chief Hemant Karkare's safety preparation (showed him wearing a helmet and a bullet-proof vest in excruciating detail live on television: the officer succumbed to bullets in the neck),
  • the exact number and location of commandos defending the hostage locations at the Taj and the Oberoi hotels (information easily available to the terrorists via television or sat phone),
  • contacting the head of Oberoi to release sensitive information regarding the current hostage situation in the hotel which drastically contradicted the sanitised information released by Indian security agencies in order to keep the rescue operation uncompromised,
  • she further went on to say that even though the govt said that there will be no negotiations with the terrorists, her diplomatic sources – she named the diplomat – said that negotiations are underway.
  • It has been reported by a survivor(Lynne Shaw) that this information was used by terrorists in Oberoi to get to some of the hostages. There are also reports that this information may have let terrorists to the next steps by the armed forces.


Barkha Dutt, according to Christian Science Monitor, was the journalist who came in for the most criticism after the Mumbai Terror Attacks in particular for focusing on the wealthy victims at Taj and Oberoi while ignoring the poor victims at the railway station.[18] According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the Facebook group "Barkha Dutt for worst journalist in the world" has more than 1,400 members.The San Francisco Chronicle also quotes Barkha Dutt dismissing most of the criticism directed against her for being "incorrect and mean-spirited".[19]


The Hoot[20], a prominent Indian media watchdog site, reported that Barkha Dutt issued a legal notice to a blogger for "abusive free speech" for a post criticizing her coverage of the Mumbai attacks[21]. The blogger unconditionally withdrew his post, replacing it with legal undertaking and an admission that his post had been "defamatory and untrue" which resulted in several Indian bloggers criticizing Barkha Dutt for trying to silence her critics with threats of libel.

According to an independent study by Newswatch, a media watchdog based in Delhi, Barkha Dutt of NDTV was thought to be the most theatrical/worst anchors/reporters covering the Mumbai Terror Strikes.[22]

References

  1. ^ Dutt, Barkha (2008-12-04). "On the record: Mumbai and media coverage". NDTV. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
  2. ^ http://www.televisionpoint.com/lounge/lounge.php?id=1176444877
  3. ^ http://www.hindustantimes.com
  4. ^ http://www.csmworld.org/public/asia21.htm
  5. ^ De, Roopa. "She dares". Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  6. ^ "Rajdeep Sardesai, Vinod Dua and Barkha Dutt Conferred Padma Shri". Max Digital Media. 2008-01-27. Retrieved 2008-12-05.
  7. ^ http://www.televisionpoint.com/news2009/newsfullstory.php?id=1230893978
  8. ^ http://ww.smashits.com/news/bollywood/movie-review/3635/lakshya.html
  9. ^ "My character is loosely based on Barkha Dutt". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2009-02-02.
  10. ^ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_Buzz/Seriously_creative/articleshow/3973253.cms
  11. ^ "Barkha Dutt, Vinod Dua get the Padma Shri". NDTV. 2008-01-25. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
  12. ^ http://www.expressindia.com/news/rngf/awards/index_05.html
  13. ^ http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k7/july/july252.php
  14. ^ http://www.india-server.com/news/barkha-dutt-gets-most-intelligent-news-3183.html
  15. ^ http://www.dpshyderabad.com/YOUNG%20INDIA_%20A%20force%20to%20reckon%20with.htm
  16. ^ http://www.hindu.com/2008/12/03/stories/2008120360861300.htm
  17. ^ http://ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/showcolumns.aspx?id=COLEN20080075194
  18. ^ "India's media blasted for sensational Mumbai coverage". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2009-02-02.
  19. ^ "India's press rebuked for Mumbai terror stories". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-02-02.
  20. ^ http://www.thehoot.org
  21. ^ "Barkha versus blogger". The Hoot. Retrieved 2009-02-02.
  22. ^ http://www.newswatch.in/research/2727

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