by Rahul Razdan

This article had originally appeared in the special issue of Vidura (May-June 2003) the journal of the Press Institute of India.

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Nuclear technology experts often lament that the useful applications of nuclear technology, for example, in the field of medicine and power generation, tend to be ignored. However, when there is a ‘Pokhran’, it becomes an altogether different story. Information technology, pretty much like nuclear technology or for that matter any other technology, catches the attention of the media when there is a spectacular development or when there is bad news to be purveyed – be it about a new virus or cyber terrorism or child pornography.

The media’s coverage of developments in information technology has, in addition, largely focused on its business aspects. This has evidently a lot to do with the fact that quite a few prominent new Indian companies — Wipro and Infosys being prime examples — have performed well, at times spectacularly well, in various stock markets at home and abroad. Even when it has come to these two companies, what is often considered “newsworthy” is Infosys head M R Narayana Murthy’s simple lifestyle. Wipro chief Azim Premji hits the headlines at regular intervals more for being one of the ‘wealthiest’ Indians than for all the work his company does. It is a different matter altogether that Premji himself has pleaded with the media time and again not to describe him in such laudatory terms lest this “notional wealth” should give completely wrong ideas to certain people.

I am an avid practitioner of the under-recognized skill of punning. Given half a chance, I would pun on everything. Given a second chance, I would pun on the pun as well. After that I know you won't give me a third chance!

I can sit straight-faced and not squirm or throw-up when exposed to what is called dirty/tasteless humour — the kind which makes fun of September 11 attacks, Princess Diana's fatal accident, Kurt Cobain's suicide, or even dead-baby jokes.

Credentials established: my point is…

I find the following headline in the Economic Times of May 4, 2006 in bad taste: "Pramod loses the Mahajung" .

Economic Times, and a few other popular publications, have over time adopted this style of writing headlines with puns. And I must say, they've been doing it fairly well.

However this headline betrays a total lack of sensitivity and etiquette, as what is being reported is an individual's death, and that too within hours of it happening.

[Some people rationalize the series of 9/11 jokes and cartoons as a response of people trying to come to terms with a psyche-scarring tragedy, that was as collective in its expanse, as it was personal in its impact. With time, the wounds heal, and life goes on. And then people dispassionately respond with humour.

But these are people, who realize that they escaped unscathed from the event.]

What adds to the disappointment here is that Economic Times otherwise has an excellent reputation in terms of quality of content and editorial integrity.