Letter: Frequent guest fatigue

This refers to Vanita Kohli-Khandekar's column "Trai's bad timing" (Media Scope, April 9). The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai's) decision to cap advertising time to 12 minutes per hour may be controversial. But it is not just advertising that may make the consumer switch off, sulk, surf or put up with it. It is our panel of experts, as well, who appear on TV with their sundry views and opinions, driving consumers to sulk or surf.

We regularly see the same personalities being called to participate as panelists, and their considered opinion sought on the varied subjects and topics of the day. They represent different political parties or socially well-known personalities. Arthur Koestler, an intellectual of the last century, called them "the call girls", and wrote a novel with the same title. They are men and women of the international jet set who, at the lift of a telephone, will fly from conference to congress to symposium to discuss subjects of world importance. These conference attendees will go anywhere to discuss or promote their ideas, provided that their expenses are paid and the location is sufficiently exotic. Many attend the same conferences and rehash the same arguments in heavily stage-managed debates. Things are not very different today, except it's not the exotic locations that they are invited to, but to appear on TV channels via Skype and other audio-video links. The trouble with these seers of doom and boom is, their frequent appearances and their opinions lead to visual fatigue. Trai should either limit their appearances or cap the time given to them.

H N Ramakrishna, Bangalore

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