Events & Issues

New Delhi, 18 March 2014

Media Makes News

MORE SINNED AGAINST THAN SINNING?

By Nikhil Gajendragadkar

For the last few weeks, the media is in the news for the wrong reasons. Does somebody want to gag it? Is the Indian media impartial? Is something wrong with the media? Do media persons need to introspect?

Questions which need answers. Think, first it was Union Home Minister Shinde who talked of ‘crushing’ some elements in the in electronic media are creating nasty designs to malign the Congress and its Vice President Rahul Gandhi. More. Adding, that as he is in-charge also of the Intelligence Bureau, he knew from where these plans were coming.  Leading to the Government “silently” putting mechanism in place to keep a check on the activities of these elements and media.

Notably, what was Shinde thinking? Are we living in the Middle Ages? Or is the nation ruled by some dictator? Clearly, his statements tantamount to brazen abuse of power and position. This is not all. He was followed by former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who is now threatening to put journalists behind bars. Resulting in readers and viewers wondering, why suddenly the newsmakers are anti the media?  

Undeniably, media, as we know it, has evolved through many phases of time; turbulent or peaceful. There is no argument that the media has to be free in a democratic set-up given that India is the world’s largest democracy with a free media .

However, recently it is both under fire and pressure. Whereby, Parties are targeting the electronic and print media, for some reason or the other. When the Union Home Minister threatened to “crush” some elements in the electronic media, it created a flutter. Not even in during the 1975-77 Emergency days had any Minister dared to speak openly against newspapers (the only free medium then).

What prompted Shinde to utter such a threat? One reason perhaps could be that as we are in the throes of elections, various TV channels with the help of research organisations, are conducting surveys including exit polls to gauge the mood of the people and decipher where each Party would get how many Lok Sabha seats.  But this is not new as at all election time the print and electronic Press has conducted many surveys.

Unfortunately, in the run-up to Poll 2014 nearly every survey held so far has predicted that the Congress-led UPA will lose power at the Centre. Worse, its Vice President Rahul Gandhi, who is covertly being projected as the Party’s Prime Ministerial candidate, is the third preference of voters. Findings which are damaging for the Party's image.

On the flip side, the polls predict a big victory for the BJP-led NDA. Predictably, this has enraged the Congress further. Pertinently, apart from the Congress, Kejriwal’s AAP too has joined Shinde’s bandwagon and is critical of the media. After he resigned as Chief Minister, Kejriwal alleged that the BJP has “bought” media persons to attack AAP and blamed journalists when his recent Mumbai road show led to chaos.

The AAP Chief repeated this allegation at a fund raising dinner last week in Bangalore and threatened to send all those guilty, including the media-wallahs to jail. True, his threat is not serious as AAP might never come to power, yet his mindset is worrisome.

Leading to journalists querying Kejriwal, why were they dear to him one-and-a-half months ago? Remember, various TV channels and newspapers supported him or were instrumental in AAP’s rise. Then the Party did not criticise the media. But when the Press questioned some of his decisions, Kejriwal and his brood did not like it.

Undoubtedly, it appears that Parties are using the media as their punching bag to vent anger. Professional organisations like the Editors Guild quickly issued a statement and asked Parties from making “unsubstantiated” allegations about the media and to use “civil” language while putting forth their opinions.

Additionally, the Guild and the Broadcasters Editors Association (BEA) termed Kejriwal’s charges as baseless and condemned him for making such comments. Consequently, both Shinde and Kejriwal are finding it tough to explain their position.

But, this is one side of the story or problem. Questionably, is the Indian media really clean and free? In fact, some happenings in the Press are quite disturbing. Namely, to protect their business interests, newspapers and channel owners “tilt” or project “biased” news or contents.

Notably, why has the media suddenly turned against AAP and its Chief Kejriwal? Especially against the backdrop that his now infamous dharna and every action and decision was scrutinsed by channels and papers and judgment passed. Why did journalist give him such importance? Simply because AAP was seen as a strong competitor to the BJP.

Besides, prior to the election dates being announced and campaigning beginning, nearly all news channels were broadcasting ‘live’ speeches of Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi. This practice still continues. Are these speeches or their rallies more important than any other happenings or ‘news’?

According to some reports, concerned Parties were providing ‘live streaming’ of their leaders’ speeches to channels. Wherein, the channels needed to only park their OB vans near the venue and beam the audio-visuals to their respective audiences. Thus, no reporter or sub-editor was to needed to cover the event or edit a leader’s speech, consequently airtime was filled without much effort.

Were Parties getting free publicity? Did channels broadcast these speeches free of cost?  Whatever happened to news values and editing?

Importantly, these questions crop up as some malpractices have taken root in the media. Paid News is one such malaise. Leaders of various Parties pay newspapers a handsome amount to ensure their news stories and photographs appear in those newspapers.

Further, candidates of nearly every Party and independent leaders follow this route to gain “clean publicity”. They also buy ‘air time’ on channels while the TV viewer or newspaper/magazine reader thinks that it is a news event covered by the media organisation, given that it does not look like an advertisement and is passed off as ‘news’.

This belief has encouraged the practice of ‘paid news’. Thankfully the Election Commission has taken note of this unprofessional conduct and has created special cells to keep an eye on candidates and media organizations indulging in these malpractices.

Add to this, Parties and heavyweight candidates or leaders also use pressure tactics and force media organisations to publish their “news items”. As this is a new source of income, media houses happily oblige them innumerably.

In sum, even as the media is considered the fourth pillar of democracy, political ‘affiliations’ and greed for more money has put a question mark on the Press’ integrity and credibility as also journalists.

There is no gainsaying that all are not corrupt, but slowly but surely they are being outnumbered by manipulative elements in the field. If Shinde’s or Kejriwal’s  statements are  perceived by the media as a threat, simultaneously then they should also look within and work hard to clean their act, before it gets out of control and puts trustworthiness of the media in jeopardy. ----- INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)