Recently there was report of police firing on farmers protesting against non availability of fertilizers. One person was killed and his last moments were captured by camera and shown in TV channels. The unfortunate man gasped for breath for many precious minutes but the scoundrels posing as media didn’t find it necessary to save him they probably were busy to get the ‘story’, the ‘bite’. Not only th
at from the camera position it is clear that they were actually on top of him to get the best angle. This is gruesome. It is inhuman and unethical. This blogger doesn’t really see any difference in this ‘reporting’ and abetting death (don’t know how many bloggers will recall decades back when there was famine in Sudan a western photographer-Kevin Carter snapped a dying child-who eventually died, that went on to win international awards later the man suicided since he could not shrug off his guilt).
Conscience is part of humanness. Media cannot trample it in the name of freedom. A society increasingly loosing compassion while asserting its choice is eating into itself is cannibalistic. This blogger strongly reiterates nothing to be more sacrosanct than dignity of individual. The government is duty bound to protect its citizen’s privacy and dignity.
Further taking dying out of context by depicting and wallowing in the gruesome is a well thought out commercial strategy. Also it posits media to be the savior against thoughtless or much clichéd ‘corrupt government’. A study conducted by Doris Graber (1979 in
but the result does fall into our understanding, so taken) showed that although the crime rate in the city was 0.2%, the proportion of media crime report was 26%. Johan Galtung and Marie Holmboe Ruge (Journal of Peace research) examined “how an event becomes news” and found “the more negative the event in its consequences, the more likely it is to become a news item”. They give reasons like easiness of negative news, non ambiguity, corresponds to predominant world view, suddenness-unexpectedness compared to positive events…later Jurgen Wilke (in Berlin) adds that “negative news creates need for immediate action..” thus riveting, the media therefore becomes a conduit for action for people (which can be positive but then in the context of sensationalism and saleability it is economics, also helps hide its shortcomings). Clearly there is more to gain from negative events. Dying in front of camera is no doubt an event to be savored (ever wondered what goes with the family and friends?...the scene would of course be different if the victim was upper class in say
should behave or whether a Channel can make serial out of this ‘high profile’ murder. Firstly this is a UP State subject matter, secondly this is misuse of power, you cannot ask media/police to do what in this particular case, wherein there are millions of cases over the decades around the country where people’s privacy is grievously violated and exploited . Either you have a law that is applicable to all or just keep shut. Union Ministers and Central agencies represent the nation and not the neighborhood or ‘people like us’, lest they forget (quite possible since most of them have never really spent time outside
Not denying that some politicians are corrupt and incompetent. Pointing out them and their misdemeanor is an important function of media but that doesn’t make media competent or trustworthy. Most people in this country have pessimistic view, in many case cynical about media (media tho kuch be deeka sakti hai), some spectacular work of media and some committed media persons cannot be denied though. But then some is definitely not whole. A significant number of media person are goons with mob mindset, they round in on their prey like pack of hyenas and squeeze them till the last drop. There are not many laws or awareness protecting the victims or common people, more than that there is question of ethics that should be reflected in laws.
There have been drastic technological changes in the last decade or so. It is putting lots of stress on
ve a very significant role to play. It is now increasingly clear that commercial reasons are dictating the decision making. Not denying that profit from a venture is important but if that is the dictating criterion then they cannot claim the rights that come with responsibility. Power given to media without responsibility is unacceptable, it is dangerous (not to forget corruption…
was removed. If media is a business then it should be treated as one they shouldn’t be taking high moral grounds and claim rights that most citizens don’t have. Having a mike and camera is no criteria to barge in to people’s privacy). Therefore it is important for the government to put in guidelines. It is about time to put media into serious scrutiny.
Also, the belligerence of ‘we can decide’ or self regulation is hogwash. They are too self centered and money minded to even sit together, mostly egoist (which is expected with untrammeled power for decades, in most cases passed hereditary). In Indian context this also need to be seen with traditional connotations. Having dominated for centuries under the guile of religion-ritual, later this section took to mostly sycophancy of colonizers (with this mindset came servility to English and unfortunate rise of English saw them claim instant competence!!), recently with government getting increasingly representative with political parties from lower strata getting vocal the power equation is changing. Realizing this shift the power is being accrued through connection in Media though they claim egalitarian and democracy as alibi the intention in most cases doesn’t seem to compliment democratic society but only a mean to increase their influence/clout/money with minimum of effort. The arrogance of keeping their power intact is now smartly packed as self regulation, as also the balderdash of egalitarian values. It is from the same traditional context that they get the audacity to proclaim their god given right to decide for themselves and create their own laws. The western model doesn’t work in Indian reality, these scoundrels are in for making some fast money-clout at the expense of common people. Why corruption and incompetence in government only the point of enquiry what about some equally corrupt people in media and corporate??. That will be looking into mirror!!. Recently during T20 a fellow was kicked out, the reason given by the corporate entity was ill health, the person denied flatly and was found to be correct…this is just a glimpse of professionalism as is practiced in In
dia. Arbitrary removals, decisions taken on whim are all part of folklore…it seems they are born competent: thou shall always be comptento came the voice from the sky!!. Most Indian media is about this very accident. (Again let me stress there are some great people in media as well as corporate). They don’t seem to make any mistake even if they get things go wrong whether it is about polls, or other details, even if the ‘mediaperson’ lack any perceptiveness or understanding ( most importantly the focus of their news and what doesn’t make it as news in a country of more than billion people), the gross negligence ….despite all this they come out as competent and meritorious. The reference point for them is something that is referred to as TRP (it is now presiding deity in many TV channels). Then they have the audacity to teach us the importance of competence!!.
Indian government is well within its right, considering- the culture and traditional context, to ask for reservation of at least 25% media time on reporting on issues related to rural
(That is a long one doubtful whether bloggers have read each line of it!)
