‘Sacrosanct’ Media?
In the wake of #TRP #hathras #justiceforsushantsinghrajput #tablighijamaat cases, the media stands exposed of the ‘fault lines’ within its own network and differences of standards and ethics. Lack of self-regulation and competition to draw larger ‘viewership’ or ‘readership’ has put media’s (especially electronic media) credentials in people’s doubts. The integrity of the media houses and its fraternity is being questioned and challenged in the courts of law.
Consequently, the trend is destroying public faith in
media’s objective role as the fourth pillar of democracy, the messenger of
information and the curator of shaping public opinion, creating awareness and
strengthening of society. As a source of information, the media plays an
important role to disseminate news to the masses concerning occurrences across
the world and report the truth with facts. It cannot afford to do ‘business’ of
information?
Freedom of press is ‘sacrosanct’. As such, it is the accountability of the media to be objective, non-partisan, impartial and factual in its service to the people. But, today it seems the media trying to control, manage and monopolize the society, the system, information source, events, stories and news.
Needless to say, one-sided information,
non-information, misinformation, disinformation, distortion or monopolization
of information breaks ethics, prevents truth, hinders righteousness, and
impedes inquest and judgment. Media cannot be used a platform or medium to communicate
voices of intolerance, violence, hatred and be heard as freedom of speech.
Why
are there so many different narratives of the same information or story or an
event? People cannot be misled rather we need a well-informed citizenry for a
healthy society.
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