Section of Media Defaming me: Tharoor

Kolkata, Jan 15 (IANS) Congress MP Shashi Tharoor Thursday slammed a section of the media for "going beyond extremes" in generating sensational and voyeuristic reports and "defaming" him day after day.

Tharoor launched his latest book "India Shastra" in Kolkata which includes an essay on "Our Free and Irresponsible Media".

Commenting on the evolution of India media from the "dull, unimaginative" days while he was growing up to the trend of breaking news on 24x7 news television channels, the Congress leader said the transformation has been for the worse.

"We have carried this beyond extremes and I think the advent of 24x7 news television is to blame because there is no question that, that has transformed the nature of the entire Indian press and print media.

"You see a race to the bottom in terms of most sensationalistic, most voyeuristic , most headline grabbing attention report that will get you temporarily get you a TRP or two so that you can crow how many more eyeballs you attracted than the other channel," said Tharoor here.

Going through troubled times in his personal life, the former union minister blamed a section of the media for "defaming him".

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Tharoor observed there are too many TV channels and all are fighting the battle for survival of the fittest, the after-effects of which have trickled down to print media, including respectable publications.

"Partly, there is some economic reason but there are too many channels. Many of them are losing money therefore they have to fight the survival of the fittest.

"In the process they have also infected the print media. The publications which used to have a certain respectability feel obliged to write what their readers have already seen as so-called breaking news on TV. The transformation has happened for the worse, for the health of our democracy," he said.

Delhi Police have said Tharoor may be questioned soon in connection with the death of his wife Sunanda Pushkar.

Pushkar, 52, was found dead in a luxury hotel in Delhi Jan 17, 2014. Police have now said she was poisoned.