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Media and society needs to work together

Media and society needs to work together
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The media provides a constructive outlet for the citizens to not only to criticize the policies of the government but also to provide alternative suggestions and ideas

Syed Mustafa Ahmad

Abraham Lincoln once said that let people know the facts and the country will be safe. It is this vision of the legendary Abraham Lincoln that makes the role of the media in the present world, worthy. The media plays a stellar role in a democracy. It functions as the eyes and ears of the public and keeps the citizenry informed about happenings around them.

If decision-making is the main motive of the democratic state then surely informed decision-making should like at the heart of it. It is this media that makes this informed decision-making possible.

The definition of media extends across the entire gamut of sources, which communicate or entertain the public. Hence, media includes radio, television, newspapers, magazines and even cinema. With the growth of information technology, the internet has been added to the list. Of these, it is the news media that is often seen as being the most powerful and influential. It will always remain given the development level of any country.

It is this news media that plays an important role in bringing news to the people, in setting agendas, initiating discussion on various issues of national importance and encourages an exchange of ideas and opinions. These are the activities that are at the center of our democratic system. It is these values that keep the democracy alive.

The media provides a constructive outlet for the citizens to not only to criticize the policies of the government but also to provide alternative suggestions and ideas. Often the media is used as a medium for taking the administration to task for its leniency. A free and vibrant media contributes to the good governance because they act as the fourth pillar of democracy. They highlight both the positive aspects and the negative aspects of any government.

Modern trends in the media sector have witnessed a steady erosion of state monopoly over mass media. On the other hand, there is a steady growth of citizen led news gathering and reporting. For example during a calamity when almost all other forms of communications are broken down, citizen journalists record the destruction which is latter passed on to the television networks.

It shows how the roots of the media are deep in bringing out the stories to the surface, so that a healthy environment is created for the progress of the country and in the long run, unnecessary difficulties are not created for the common people who don’t know much about media.

In a democracy, the media also provides information and news about local happenings and issues. The media also sheds light over the macro issues like poverty. The common problems of the people are addressed. Social issues, economic issues, political issues, moral issues, etc., are taken into account. The incidents dealing with the dowry, domestic violence, drug addiction, etc., which overall get over sighted are addressed very efficiently. The suicide of the poor farmers is also addressed by the media that makes the image of any country quite clear. The political associations for the sake of the development of the country are covered are as well.

Moreover, the media has also taken the issue of corruption in high offices. At a time, when the official machinery seems unable to bring the high and mighty to book, the media is seen as taking an initiative to combat such issues and to expose wrong doings at the very top. The Bofors scandal is an excellent example of this. It was the first time corruption became an intensely public and political issue.

Such was the public fury stoked by the media investigation that the government in power eventually ended up on the losing side in the 1989 general election. In the absence of a free and fair media, such an exposure would have been unthinkable. Recently, the Rafaele Deal was in news.

‘The Hindu’ newspaper acted as a catalyst in bringing the reality to the surface. However, it is the secondary thing that the Government got clean chit. But the concentration of the people was shifted to the deal that was of national importance. These are the some important functions that a conscious media can perform. There are many functions that they perform but I took turn to something more important.

The media is full of loopholes. In the present context, there seems to be a trend sensationalizing news. This leads to a warped priority where media panders to the lowest common denominator and as a result the important issues are given less importance than demanding ones. Moreover, domination of a few private players over the media industry leads to a situation where a few individuals get a disproportionately large influence in setting the agenda and molding public opinion. This is dangerous to say the least and needs to be guarded against.

With the proliferation of digital media, there is a real chance that access to media may end up creating a digital divide where there are two classes of digital haves’ and have nots’. There is another term used in the media. It is called the Yellow Journalism. It seems to sensationalize the news and in the process, plays down more important news. The undue interference of the government in the functioning of the media also diminishes the image of the media.

For concealing the crimes, the channels are either banned or the editors are sent to the jail like the editor of the ‘Wire’. It is totally against the principles of democracy, where the government officials harass the journalists during their duties.

Recently, during the riots in the North East Delhi, a reporter from the ‘the Indian Express’ was beaten up by the goons. He was doing his duty. He was punished for the crime which he didn’t commit. The crime was that the members of the ruling party made hate speeches, which in the long run, killed more than 60 people, damaged the properties. Last but not the least, the anchors are drunk with the wine of distorted history.

They present things in an unimaginable way. They call for the polarization of the society. They make the mountain of a molehill. They target the specific communities without any proof. They should read history without any preoccupation. They, for the sake of truth, should peep into the layers of history.

There is a long road to be travelled to make media at par with the society. It also is difficult to bring the media at par with the principles of democracy. But there are ways to come out of this quagmire. Fake news can be curbed with the genuine interference of the government. Strict action should be taken against those who are found guilty. There should be laws that allow for a free and fair reporting. No one should be harassed to manipulate the authentic news. The macro issues that haunt everybody should be given enough courage.

The petty discussions between the two communities should not be blown out of proportions. Cinema has a role to play in supporting the constructive media. Our thoughts should chance with each passing day due to the media. It should be its responsibility. At this time, when we are close but far due to the COVID 19, the role of media is more important than before.

Rumours should be avoided. The common people should be made to understand in a common language what to do in this harsh situation. WhatsApp groups can help in bridging the gap. Facebook can provide a platform to help those who are in dire need of the basic things. There is a lot to say but I restrict myself here. The purpose of writing is now clear. Let us pledge that we should in cooperation with the media build a healthy society where no one is killed by the fake news by the media. Hope good sense prevails!


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