You are the producer of a popular television reality program. The show attracts a broad audience from all walks of life and different areas of the country. Yet, a controversy has arisen with the latest season, as a contestant from ...
Answer: The Earth is surrounded by a thin layer of air called the atmosphere. The air in the atmosphere moves in response to differences in temperature at the equator (warm) and the poles (cold). This movement of air is called global atmospheric circulation. The movement of air across the planet occRead more
Answer: The Earth is surrounded by a thin layer of air called the atmosphere. The air in the atmosphere moves in response to differences in temperature at the equator (warm) and the poles (cold). This movement of air is called global atmospheric circulation. The movement of air across the planet occurs in a specific pattern that is dependent on:
- Latitudinal variation of atmospheric heating.
- The emergence of pressure belts.
- The migration of belts following the apparent path of the sun.
- The distribution of continents and oceans.
- The rotation of the Earth.
The whole system is driven by the equator, which is the hottest part of the Earth. Air rises at the equator, leading to the creation of low pressure and rainfall. When the air reaches the edge of the troposphere (tropopause), it cannot go any further and so it travels to the north and south. The air becomes colder and denser, and falls, creating high pressure and dry conditions at around 30° north and south of the equator. Large cells of air are created in this way. The following are the 3 major cells:
- The Hadley Cell: This is driven by warm rising air. The Coriolis effect causes the air that has risen at the equator and moving to the poles to deflect and become increasingly westerly high up in the atmosphere that the circulation breaks down and the air sinks back towards the ground in the subtropics (30° the ‘horse latitudes’). Once the air has descended back to the ground, it returns to the equator and is deflected to the east – they are known as the easterly trade winds.
- Polar Cell: The same thing happens in the polar regions, but it is driven by sinking cold air. The sinking, cold air at the poles moves back towards the equator, but because it is slow-moving, it becomes increasingly easterly as the underlying earth moves faster, and the circulation eventually breaks down at around 70° latitude. The air then rises again and returns to the poles, resulting in another atmospheric cell.
Ferrel Cell: This lies in between the Polar and Hadley cells, and is a little more complicated. Put simply, it is the net effect of air motions from all the storms or ‘depressions’ that occur in the mid-latitudes. Air sinks in the sub-tropics and rises around 60-70°. In this region, westerly surface winds occur. These cells drive airflow, atmospheric pressure, and rainfall. The rising and sinking of air cause high and low pressure at the surface, respectively. The large-scale winds of the atmosphere initiate large and slow-moving currents of the ocean. Oceans in turn provide input of energy and water vapour into the air. These interactions take place rather slowly over a large part of the ocean.
Answer: The given case study highlights an issue where a public figure who has been accused of sexual harassment at the workplace by his co-workers has been invited to a public reality show. The show will be televised on a national channel with wide viewership. The producer in question has reservatiRead more
Answer: The given case study highlights an issue where a public figure who has been accused of sexual harassment at the workplace by his co-workers has been invited to a public reality show. The show will be televised on a national channel with wide viewership. The producer in question has reservations about such a move. (a) The ethical issues in the case include: Disparagement of victims: Giving a person accused of a heinous crime a national platform and wide publicity is tantamount to disrespecting hundreds of women who have faced sexual harassment in the workplace. Reflects poorly on public morals: Giving publicity to such a person creates disillusionment among the crusaders of women’s issues. Further, it shows the poor state of public morality that exists in the society. Mockery of justice: Such action by national television sends a message that those who are powerful and socially well-connected can get away with anything. It makes a mockery of the justice system and the rule of law. Patriarchal nature of society: An issue that is evident here is that men can enjoy a certain degree of impunity while women, who are often at the receiving end of crimes, that are sexual in nature, are publicly trolled, undermined, bullied and even intimidated by dragging them through court procedures. Legitimacy to the criminal while delegitimizing the movement: Acceptance of such influential persons by their colleagues and the industry provides legitimacy to the actions and conduct of the accused. It also undermines the women who got inspired by the movement that gave them the courage to confront men who had persistently oppressed them, and in the process revealed the extent of rot in the system. Not guilty till proven so No one should be robbed of his/her livelihood just because he/she is alleged to have engaged in certain wrongdoings. The court’s verdict should supersede any media trial. Profit-seeking at any cost: The arguments given by certain producers that controversy is good for the show are immoral and decadent. Money-making should not be done at the cost of another person’s pride and honor. (b) Options available to me as the producer and the best course of action include: Staying silent on the matter and letting the accused be a part of the show. Making my displeasure/reservations known to the higher management of the channel. Making a public statement in the media stating that the rule of law should take its own course. Meeting the host of the show and persuading him to convince the accused to voluntarily withdraw from the show. Course of action: I will call a meeting with other producers and makers of the show, including the host. I will propose that the accused should either be removed from the show or he should voluntarily withdraw. A meeting will ensure that all the stakeholders are involved and heard before coming to a decision. It will also ensure everyone’s accountability. I accept that a person is not legally guilty until proven so in a court of law, but at times, morality takes primacy over legality. A public show, which is very popular in the country, should adhere to the moral standards of society. (c) Pros and cons of media trial in such instances are: Pros: It brings wider attention to the issues of national importance. At times, it pressurizes the state to pay heed to the public issues and demands. Cons: It creates sensationalism. At times, it makes visual media a theatre of verbal terrorism, visual extremism, and content fundamentalism. The race for viewership has put corporate media houses into the toxic triangle of viewership, ratings, and revenue. The issues/facts of the matter take a backseat in such cases. Media trials are often biased and premature judgments are made on the basis of religion, ethnicity, or race. Stereotypes are created and that may even influence the investigating agencies and court’s judgments. The media should remain a conscience keeper of democracy by ensuring factual and impartial scrutiny of public issues. The domain of ‘trials’ should be left to the other organ of the democratic state i.e. the Judiciary. Also, sexual harassment should be dealt with strictly and television shows should play their part in preventing instances of sexual harassment.
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