She accused me of using a hidden camera to tape her

As an Investigative Reporter,I often go undercover.I admire investigative reporter,Neille Bly who preferred to went underground for her stories.Deception may play a major role in any undercover operation.But the information obtained must be of profound importance.it must be of vital interest such as revealing great system failure at the top levels or it must prevent profound harm to individuals. I keep certain things in mind before any undercover operation.
What I do if my cover is blown up?
Can I lie to maintain my cover?
What happens If I see a crime being committed?
So,I prepare myself.Few years ago,i went underground to unearthed a sex-racket.I took a job at a message parlour.For this purpose,I underwent training as a masseur.As a freelance reporter,I believe that I have to 'protect' myself.It is unfortunate that I got minimum help from my employers.As an investigative reporter,we should know how and when to use the hidden cameras-spy cams.I think when I use deception to gain access for reporting,I should maintain my cover.Therefore,I personally take some precautions such as I behave like them,learn their lingo and use my contacts to get access.I think that without preparation and proper planning we should not go into the field.I remember one incident where I interviewed a woman secretly, though she knew that I'm a reporter,sued me for defamation.she accused me of using a hidden camera to tape her.After that,I became cautious.Before any undercover operation meticulous planning is necessary -use of hidden cameras-spy cams without planning and preparation may ruined reporter's carrier and badly damage the image of TV stations.

some insensitive reporters sensationalize their stories

As a freelance reporter,I have no right to comment on others but,I feel sad when I find that some 'insensitive'reporters unnecessarily sensationalize their stories.Here, I want to mention the sensational double murder case in Noida.Police had found Noida school girl Arushi's body in her bedroom on May 16 morning.Later,Hemraj their 45 year old domestic help also found dead.First, they suspected Hemraj for Aarushi's murder.Even they circulated pictures of the 'massing servant'.But,Noida Police top brass were embarrassed when the 'missing servant' they had confidently accused of killing the school girl turned up murdered .Every time media savvy top officials of Noida Police came up with new theories and murder alibi.Then, they arrested another domestic help Vishnu Sharma,having worked for Talwar's (Aarushi's parents Rajesh and Nupur Talwar,both well known Dental Surgeons of Delhi) for twin murders because,according to Police,the Talwar's had angered him by replacing him with a man called Hamrej who was murdered along with Aarushi.Then,Noida police claimed that they had crack the murder mystery and arrested Rajesh Talwar,father of murdered school girl.The police said the motive was to prevent Aarushi from revealing Rajesh's affair with colleague Anita Durrani,also a dentist.Rajesh was also angry with his daughter for having an 'affair' with Hemraj.News channels blindly quote Noida police.The news channels conducted media trial of the little girl,who was not their to defend herself.Noida double murder case is the biggest crime story after Nithari serial killing case of 2006 where from 2005 to the end of 2006 at least 19 children-all from poor families went missing from Nithari,a slum in Noida,near Delhi.Repeated complaints by parents of missing children to the Police didn't help a single missing child.After the intervention of High Court, the police found skeletal remains of children buried in a drain running behind affluent businessman Moninder Singh Pandher's Noida house.Initial investigation revealed that pandher,along with his domestic help Surendra Koli,had sexually abused and killed the children.News channels have reported a jump in their viewership ever since the news of the double murder broke.People are interested to know about who killed Aarushi.From the first day, Noida police mishandled the case.Every time they arrested someone or made up a 'story',media specially News channels blindly follow the theory.In the Arushi murder case,the police made the mistake of not taking timely action and missed out vital clues.Though,news channels questioned the 'mishandling' the case by the police,they compete each other to improve their TRP.For instance,on May 23,the day Aarush's father was arrested and Police claimed it to be honour killing, the Television Rating Point of Hindi news channels jumped overnight.Noida police claimed that Rajesh killed her daughter because he had found them(Aarushi and their domestic help Hemraj) in an objectionable but not compromising position.Few days back I got an e-mail from a lady.She wrote me that her 8 year old daughter asked her some 'embarrassing' questions -like Aarushi's 'affair' with Hemraj and extra-marital affair of Rajesh talwar with Anita Durrani.After CB took over the case from noida Police,they arrested Rajesh Talwar's compound er Krishna and Durrani's domestic help Raj Kumar and questioned Aarushi's mother Nupur Talwar,their friend and business partners Anita and Parful Durrani and a neighbour's servant Vijay Mondal.
In these type of cases, I always remember the advice of senior journalists.I personally avoid putting the camera and boom into someones face without asking their permission.I walk down to the person without my crew and tell him or her who am I and express my condolences.i show them how concerned or sympathetic i am.After Spending sometime with them,I tell them that though I know it's a difficult time for them but at the same time it's might helpful for others if the subject talk on camera.Here,I want to quote Veteran Photojournalist Angela Grant:I think it's a matter of convincing the person that you're trying to tell their side of the story. When I interview people who have lost a loved one, I tell them that I want to ask them questions about the person and create a sort of memorial to them. People usually like that idea ... It's an honor because you're saying their loved one is valuable, his or her loss was tragic, and the person is worth remembering.If they say no the first time, I'll sometimes ask again and just make sure that I explain what I'm trying to do. If they say no a second time, I'll say okay, I'm sorry for your loss. Then I leave them alone. Try to get another family member to talk.

Investigative reporters should work quietly

Before every assignment,I feel the urge to follow the procedures mentioned by Radio &Television News Directors Association(RTNDA)such as:
What is the role of video in the story?Does it bring real value?
Is it necessary to use a hidden camera in this story?why?
Does the story involve insignificant Private matters(even if emotional)or are there matters of vital public concern,prevention of profound harm or system failure?
Is the rationale for the story simply to win a prize or beat the competition?
Do your motives involve getting the story quickly and cheaply,rationalizing that others have done it or that the story subjects themselves unethical?
Are hidden-cameras to be used primarily to create drama?Can a visible camera be used with the same impact?
Have you used all traditional means to investigate the story,including interviews and reviewing public records and documents?
What happens if the reporters cover is blown?
Can a reporter lie to maintain his cover?
What happens if the reporter sees a crime being committed?
Where will the camera be used in a public place?quasi Public? Private home?
Will the reporter enter private property without consent or owners to tape?
Will editing be allowed to alter contents?
Though this guidelines are adopted by an American organisation keeping in mind the American perspective and legal system, but I think that Investigative Reporters of other countries who use hidden cameras-spy cams regularly should follow these guidelines.
Here,I want to quote few paras from an article appeared in southasia analysis.org written by a former Indian Administrative service officer B.Raman. He asked several unpleasant questions regarding the massive use of spy cams in sting operations in India.Serious Investigative journalism is replaced by sting operation.
* Was there a metal detector in any of the places visited by the journalists? If so, how was it they didn't sound the alarm on detecting the batteries and the transmission cord?

* Was the activation mechanism automatic or manual? If manual, it must have been activated before the journalists entered the presence of those interviewed and the equipment must have video-recorded their conversations with others too such as the security guards, the personal assistants etc. Where are those recordings?

* Was there an editing of the recordings? If so, to what extent and for what purpose? That there has probably been considerable editing is apparent to even a lay observer. Modern cameras automatically record the dates on which the shots were taken. The dates seem to have been edited. Why?

* Is there a concurrent written record of the various stages of the sting operation from which one could see how many times a person was interviewed and what subjects figured during each conversation?

* Has there been a morphing, interposing, substitution etc of the images/conversations and were these done manually or were they computer-generated?

Through computer-generation techniques one could create a make-believe picture of something, which is far from what actually happened.If the expert opinion confirms the authenticity of the recordings, stern action must be taken against those figuring in the recordings.I think that investigative reporters should work quietly relying on their own instincts,their overall knowledge and their own confidence.No one feel their presence.That's the difference between a general reporter and an investigative reporter.

Don't disturb natural environment

Though, I personally believe that content is the king in any Television production,minimum production quality should be maintained.I,here like to mention the shows based on crime-investigation in local TV stations in Calcutta.Everyday,one of such shows closes with uninterrupted praise for their Anchor-producer-Director(all rolled into one)-projected as social reformer who fights for justice.Though the show became popular,I personally don't like their presentation.Anchor as well as reporters are basically arrogant,disrespectful.They often cross their journalistic ethics.To cover these type of sensitive stories,one should avoid usual equipments such as tripods and lighting instruments.So that,subjects can forget about camera's presence.To shoot in the environment friendly situation,subjects can express themselves naturally.I always remember that journalists are not social reformers,we are mere informers.Whether is is hard news or soft news,tell the story visually.Local crime-investigative shows follow the same pattern.In 30 minute show,they drag a single story-sometimes,viewers feel irritated-bored.If we have enough footages-cutaways,various angle shots( according to vetern news videographer Angela Grant, always try to get at least four shots of every single thing we want to shoot.),we can create impact in mere 180 seconds or 240 seconds.We can easily put 3-4 stories in 30 minutes format.We should be cautious to cover a sensitive story-someone who has just lost his or her loved one or a accused person or one who has been an eyewitness to a tragedy.The question that a senior Journalist ask for himself is how do I do it and still retain my journalistic ethics.Don't ever shoot anybody without his or her permission-I agree with others that this strategy doesn't apply to most other situations,but I myself apply this strategy where emotions are running high and the person whose visuals we want to take,is an ordinary person not a public figure.

TV stations follow CBI blindly

Last year,a major news story that dominated the local Tv stations in Calcutta for several weeks was the death of a bright young man.His body was found dead beside railway tracks near Calcutta.I narrate the story in a nutshell.Rizwanur, 30, was found dead between Dumdum and Bidhannagar Road railway station on 22Th September 2007,body covered with injury marks and head smashed a month after marring local business tycoon AshokToddy's daughter against her families wishes.
The youth had accused lalbazar, head quarter of Calcutta police of pressuring her wife to return to her father and threatening to arrest Rizwanur for kidnapping if she didn't ,according to his family and an NGO whose help he had sought.According to the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights,Rizwanur's complaint said that Assistant Commissioner(anti rowdy section) Sukanti Chakraborty and deputy commissioner(headquarter) Gywant Singh had tried persuasion. Later City Detective Chief Ajay Kumar issued the arrest threat on September prompting the girl to go back for seven days to Todi's Saltlake home from where she never returned.Later,all the accused police officers including Police commissioner were transferred.
Chief Minister of West Bengal, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya ordered a CID(criminal Investigation Department) probe into Rizwanur's death.Later, the case was handed over to Central bureau of Investigation(CBI).TV stations tried to compete each other -live footages -sensationalize the whole issue-even cross the journalistic ethics-violating people's privacy.They follow CID later CBI officials blindly and 'hijack' people related to the case who were questioned by the central investigative agency,to their studious.But,unlike Tehelka, a magazine, conducts independent investigations on several high profile cases,local TV stations avoided independent investigations on this particular issue.For instance,in Nithari murder case after a four-week-long Investigation, Tehelka exposed that police had helped Moninder Singh Pandher,Nithari's serial killer to cover up the entire episode where at least 19 children missing from Nithari, a slum in Noida near Delhi from 2005 to 2006.Their sting operations blew the cover up.But TV stations of Calcutta by and large avoided independent investigations and blindly followed the theories of CBI.They could have done the investigation by obtaining call details of Rizwanur and others closely associated with the case from the service providers and conducted their investigation independently like traditional muckrakers.

Muckrakers spent much of their time searching archives

With the advent of technology,miniature and less expensive cameras are available in the market,TV stations now able to cover stories that they earlier avoided.Usually,Newspapers don't need pictures for this kind of stories.Newspaper reporters work quietly and write a copy based on their observations.Earlier,Broadcasting Journalists and their crews faced difficulties due to their heavy equipments.Though,occasionally newspapers,magazines use hidden cameras,spy-cams but it's not necessary to use them.In India,Tehelka,a magazine deals with serious issues often use spy cameras to prove their points.Now,online editions of newspapers in America and other countries use videos along with still pictures and even try to compete with Television Networks.In Broadcasting Journalism,'sting operation' where reporters loaded with spy-cams,hidden cameras cover sensible stories but the way they use spy-cams,hidden cameras to create drama.They can do the same thing by using the traditional methods of reporting.Though,I believe that we cannot cover certain stories without using spy cams,hidden cameras,often methods adopted by reporters,producers cross journalism ethics.Deceptions,provocations play a major part of any sting operation.In recent Aaj Tak(a major Hindi News channel in India) carried out a sting operation where K.Jyothi Kumaran,secretary of Indian Hockey Federation(IHF) allegedly took money from reporters posing as businessmen who want to organise an International Hockey tournament,to inducted a young player in the national team.Though,the intention of the 'sting operation' was to expose serious wrong doing,but reporters lured K.Jyothikumaran by offering him money.The channel could have done the same story with traditional methods used by muckrakers.Muckrakers spent much of their time searching archives,documents.The word muckrakers was introduced by American president Theodore Roosevelt for the Investigative reporters who dug the shit.