Good stories have no frontiers

The time is 10.12.56 PM by the big red digital clock display on my far right. The white wall in front of me has five words on it: "Good stories have no frontiers". 20 LCD screens have as many news channels running on them simultaneously on the wall right behind me. On my left is a glass wall which at this time is showing me my own reflection thanks to the dark night sky outside. This entire huge hall with its walls and carpets all of just two shades- red and blue- houses me on one blue reclining chair in front of this computer terminal where I am sitting and typing this blog entry. I am doing my summer internship, sitting on the second floor of the Times Centre at the Film City in Noida.

The Times Centre, Film City, Noida. (Photographed from the backside)

It is very rare that I type a blog entry directly on blogger or for that matter, anywhere apart from my laptop. Lack of any immediate work and the fact that my supervisors have left for the day [;)], prompted me to click a few pictures and write a blog entry with my initial experience of this huge place.

Yeah, I mean it when I use the word "huge".

On Monday, after spending a good time looking for my to-be work place for 6 weeks, my rickshaw wala dropped me at the Times Centre. At a time when there is a lack of lands and cities are going vertically upwards, I was standing in front a building which was vertically just three levels high but horizontally it went on and on. The automatic doors welcomed me to a huge hall and with a little help from the receptionist and the guards, I was on my way to the second floor; to the place where I have dreamed of working for almost a year and a half now; to the Noida bureau of India's leading English news channel- Times Now.

I was asked which department I wanted to work with. I gave a vague answer- "I want to see and learn as much as possible in these 6 weeks. I want to know everything that goes on to run a news channel". I had come to the biggest channel in the country. And I was being handed over to the very people who ran this channel. The HR introduced me to a few prominent people I was going to work with- initially at the Guest Relations Desk and then at the Programming Desk. And my work began.

From where I seat, this is how the newsroom looks

I have spent hardly any significant time to actually think about 'assessing' my experience here. It's been just four days and I already seem to know so much more than what my grey cells carried when I first entered the automated doors to the reception. I have been to the video-conferencing room and have been explained the working of the PCR (which looks like a very big version of the Video Lab in college) apart from seeing the setting up and shooting of the OB for live telecasts at various high-profile areas. I am yet to visit the studios though. I have seen some big personalities right in front of my eyes including Rajat Sharma from Aap ki Adalat, the Team Anna members and Baba Ramdev (and a brief conversation with him) at a distance hardly a few feet. Just this evening the Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee happened to be seating in a car with a red beacon and standing at the red light at ITO just beside my car. How come he has no security, one wonders.

See the 20 TV screens?

Food is another important part. One thing which cannot and must not be neglected ever. And so, on my Day 1, I went for lunch at the cafeteria. And I was stunned! The area was huge and such a crowd of people! I was left wondering how big this place was. It is housing the workplaces of so many hundreds of people under one roof! Wow! And the food? Well, considering my irregular eating habit and the dhaba-food that I have been having over the past two years, the food here is wonderful!

The clock is nearing 11 and I would soon be moving out for my drop off to home. Yesterday evening it had rained and yesterday had been the first time when I had left office after nightfall. And my first reaction on stepping out of the automated glass doors at the entrance? Well, this building looks even more wonderful and astonishing with the lighting after dark! May be I will share a picture once I get a chance to click it.

I hope to unravel the secret 'deep' meaning behind these words soon

Although the unusually long travel-time and working hours need a little getting used to, I am surely enjoying my stint at my second workplace. It remains to be seen what else I get to learn in the upcoming 5 and a half weeks. Not sure though, if I will be able to keep my blog updated regularly in this period. And just for the record, the upcoming week is going to bring in some major changes here 'on second thoughts...' Keep an eye! ;)

Leave your comments below; I have got to rush or else will miss the cab to home! :D