MOJO EFFECT: BEYOND THE WAR-FRONT

(An ode to the next-generation journalism!)

We are not on the warfront. Who cares whether there is a hashtag or any other sign before this meaningless word. Who coined the term or who used it first is totally out of our focus.  Nevertheless, first the term “MOJO” is impressive. The indicator of the next generation journalism, that could epitomize the dynamics of an emerging society, its interests, its life style and its info-sphere. The seeds for the next generation journalism has already been sown. What it will bring? How would it impact the way we look at the news and how would these info-sphere ‘Mojo’ journalists handle the message to be conveyed? What will be their bandwidth both in terms of the time and the space they handle? These are the questions that would lead the futurologists to some serious thinking and debate.

I was born in an age when reading the “Hindu” newspaper in the morning before a cup of coffee was the order. I still remember the silly fights we had at home as to who would read the newspaper first. My interest in the newspaper was not to read the sports page, but to read the editorial (on most occasions I did not understand its implications as a student of a middle school) but to find some unfamiliar words I didn’t know - trying to find its meaning in a dictionary and to use them in a daily routine. It was indeed an exercise in language learning rather than news sensitivity.

And I moved on.. to a newer level. news about sports. finding the quotes. and to cut out the important news for display in classrooms. as an active news gatherer to be first informing friends in what was happening in the city and elsewhere. After all, it was a world without TV and restricted reach of the Radio.

Moving to the next level. as a student of Typewriting and shorthand, the newspaper was indeed a great facilitator to learn active typewriting and shorthand. seeing and doing … listening and writing… which enriched my language competencies, whether it did the same with the skills for which they were intended!

In preparation for competitive examinations, the new papers did an excellent job to scale up your knowledge with current affairs. In that process, it did open a variety of viewpoints to several themes and issues enhancing lateral and analytical thinking. The changing profile of journalists was very much in sight as people who painted the words with the colours of wit, wisdom, satire, humor and punch. Of course, there were also those ‘opinion’ makers who were blessed with the pomposity of the language and articulated their words in such a manner which displayed their ivory tower approach as ‘intellectuals of divine order’ rather than any direct message it could convey!

From sensitization to sensation, the journey has been fast, focused and furious. From a social service perspective as carriers of common causes, the ‘venture capitalism’ and ‘business models’ -the paid news gathered its strength and momentum. Many had to read between the lines and a few knew there was ‘no news’ behind the ‘real news’!

The ‘burden of revenue’ promoted an extremist culture of advertisements from tissue papers to political issues; thus the ‘burden of advertisements’ trespassed into the news houses and the real news were rented at unimaginable costs! The costs were proportionated to the ‘TRPs!

The emergence of e-news on screens redefined the culture of news gathering, articulation and delivery. Massive exercises to provide ‘live broadcasts’ of news stole the attention and time of the viewers. Conscious efforts ‘to provoke’ the listeners to stick to the screens impacted the social psyche and thought culture of the passive listeners. “Breaking News” broke the windows of all corridors and sneaked into the privacy of policies to bedrooms- thus ‘the prime deliverers’ and ‘the first reporters’ competed – not necessarily for the joy of their job, but for their own survival with the organizations where they served.

Promoting intellectual violence, negativity and mudslinging as an art of debating shelved the softer ways of conversation. A good debate was counted on the number of insults many could swallow against each other! With sizable appearances in such shows the political visibility of the people increased paving ways for their better recognition in the party.

And thus, the story line of the growth of news goes on…

MOJO is the new avatar on this life line…

How does one expect this new avatar manifest itself and impact viewership and business in news?

The minute news and the second news – MOJO will have to cater to the speed of news generation. hot news, half-truth, unedited, ambiguous, suffering for reach with questionable quantum of viewership  

Visuals- good and bad (as interpretations about them will vary) – with footnotes – “Not for those suffering from heart problems and other illness” and other caveats. live and short-lived!

Reach -  To places unreachable – provoking tempers of people who do not want to hear, speak or to be seen; and just to report that they are not cooperating

Focus – conflicts, challenges, problems, news hidden in cameras, the news houses delivering law and opinions – much ahead of the judgments…

But will all these stop viewership?   … NO. instead Mojo will make its away speedily, forcefully and deliberately. It is time the “MOJO” bosses coin a new term for “breaking news’ – we are sick of hearing this repeatedly. especially when the news has become stale, unpalatable and cause an intellectual indigestion!

Welcome Mojo! But you indeed need a plan – to cover and reach the entire spectrum of info-sphere audience with new tricks. Good Luck!

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