editorial pioneer on role of media

[Guest guest]

http://www.dailypioneer.com/archives1/default.asp?month=aug&day=31&year=02&flag=http://www.dailypioneer.com/archives1/indexn.asp?d=EDITS&cat=\edit&fdnam=aug3102Pioneer

- August 31, 2002Media adharmaMC JoshiI was struck by the letter, 'Media

struck' (August 22), in which Mr M Ratan rightly says there are sections of

the Fourth Estate- comprising of an "all-too-familiar group of secular-left

oriented editors and so-called progressive intellectuals"-who work with

missionary zeal against the present Government under the garb of secularism.

One need only look at the English language 'national' newspapers and watch

'independent' private television newschannels. For them, even a single

word of appreciation for the Government is taboo and finding fault even with

its constructive work is journalistic dharma.TV channels are far ahead of

the print media in this respect,given its advantage of round-the-clock access

to viewers' drawing rooms and bedrooms. TV's miracle men who claim to present

events 'as they happen, when they happen and where they happen' are mostly

engaged in speculation and crystal gazing about the things yet to occur.

Self-appointed prosecutor, jury and judge, they hold trials in front of the

studio cameras and deliver judgments.

There is one straight-talking programme which is anything but straight

talk, making fun as it does of everybody. Another is a fight of sizeable

proportions in which all (including anchors) take on the ruling establishment.

A couple of dozen men and women of our metro culture, along with

secular-left oriented journalist-cum-intellectuals-who are far away from

the ground realities-project themselves as representatives of the

onebillion people of the country and ridicule anything and everything

on their agenda.In 'discussions', anchors put words into your mouth. If

you refuse to toe the line, you are cut short, not responded to or consigned

to a 'commercial break'. Adhering to their line is the pre-condition for a

smooth sailing. If you happen to belong to a different kettle of fish and come

prepared to face rough weather, you are pulled up, ridiculed and even

humiliated. Highlighting the negative, suppressing the positive, creating

hype, sensationand confusion and even injecting poison into perfectly

debatable issues have become the hallmark of private TV channels.The

unrestrained style of some sections of the media (in the name of freedom of

information and expression) has been objected to by the political class and

other sections of society. Matters have reached such a stage that, on August

20, the full Lucknow bench of the Allaha-bad High Court hearing the Ram

Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute case, issued a warning to newspapers and

various TV channels against publicising any opinion, televising

interviews of parties or the counsel or publishing any article concerning

the merit of the case as that might 'affect the public mind.' In a separate

order, the bench, specifically naming an English language newspaper,

observed that if anything publishedhampered fair trial or 'poisons public

mind', it would amount to contempt by the press.It was in a three-point

directive that the bench restrained the newspapers from publishing any

article, opinion or interview in the matter and also prohibited TV

channels from televising interviews in respect of the sub judice Ayodhya

issue. These were rightly seen as undermining judicial authority and

amounting to interference in the administration of justice.Sections of the

media are misusing their freedom. It is time to say enough is enough and to

take remedial measures. Freedom is not a license for anarchy. One is sure that

enlightened voices in the media would agree, since the credibility of the

entire Fourth Estate has been put on the line by certain irresponsible

sections.

 

 

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