Thechamo Kikon
4th Mile Dimapur
Media the most powerful entity on the earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent and that's power. Because they control the mind of masses." Maclom X
The dogmatic, neck grabbing sensational, dirt throwing, ranking the TRP charts and the last but not least obsession with the Kardashians. The very step mistake of media is the attention towards nonsensical issues of concern. In a robust democracy like the India the importance of media is outmost, moulding our thought and helping us in opinion building.
The print media has been extremely vocal about the colonial rule and has raised their voices against despotism and feudalism time and again. However, when the government and the media unite to win elections and form government then news do not happen, they are made. Then who showed the people of the state trust; on these news channels which, in the name of news, political rivalries and communalism is being promoted and sensationalism is being sold or the government who is busy making false promises.
When we look at the chronological background of Indian media, traditionally successive government have always sought to control the media such attempts are being supported by those religious, financial and other actors who are investing substantial financial resource to advance their own concept of public interest. As a result, we now see a reduced quality of India's public discourse. The rapid expansion of media has ironically led to the shrinking of the public sphere and the much needed space for dissent. This is producing a growing crisis of credibility in the Indian media. Paid news, misuse of government conttolled broadcast, units in filling of defamation suits against journalists in the recent years amongst many others, are seen as attempt to control and even intimidate media.
Another worrying revelation about India media according to the report consolidated by World Economic Forum is that, Indian media is the most corrupt media in the world. This clearly shows the corrupt institutions which has lost its ethics and responsibility in bringing the culture news to the viewers.
In the west countries like US and Europe have witnessed a tidal change if Right-wing nationalism populism. This rise could be of apolitical differences and ideologies. Yet, one cannot underestimate the media role in the dividing the general masses. When Donald Trump won the Presidential election it surprised many people. For instance, it was commonly siad that Clinton would almost certainly win the 2016 election, to the extend when a Journalist at the Washington Post prepared a piece in advance describing her victory. The piece, titled, "How Hiliary Clinton won." This to many, simply seem like another example of media's questionable operations.
Since Trump won over the course of years the movement of far- right have grown more powerful in towns and capital across Europe. In the United Kingdom right-wing nationalist were the driving force behind Brexit. This rise in populace cannot be overestimated. There is a general discontent among certain group of society that mainstream media had genuinely failed the aspiration of its people. Another wide perception of the mainstream media is that it's becoming increasingly dominated by a certain, "Elite" and this may have more truth to it then we may like to believe. It is a common knowledge that most major news outlets are clustered in major economic centers---- typically in major cities where liberal urbanites live.
For years, civil society has tended to be seen as liberal; supportive of human rights, democratic reform and protection of minorities. And it is still this "Progressive" causes that appeals to younger activists. But today, civil society invokes an increasing diverse mix of people and political goals, with those on the right gaining traction. Yet, the reality is that the role of grassroots movements is often central.
The primary role of media across the spectrum is to play watchdogs but are they really watchdogs or tamed dogs? Media must act as an empowerment and development. The phrase, "sensation above development" is the go method for the media. Opinions and facts are two different things, mixing both of them leads to a negative impact and if one sided journalism is promoted then god forbid, the state is surely heading in wrong direction.
Agree to disagree is the basic fundamental of democracy. A country like India filled with people living a short term memory and the media utilizing it to the fullest filling empty bucket with loads of crap. Propagating agenda through manufactured or "fake news" famously used by Trump is an old maneuver to change the objective of the news we receive. However, social media is equally to be blamed for the rise marginalised and unauthentic news that goes viral every seconds on internet. And whatsapp has been the platform where many of this unchecked unfliterd news led to; many mob lynching's in the recent past. Social media sites are also busy running traits and doing the so called expose story of many innocents. Even government reports are fabricated and circulated.
We need more detailed enthographic research into newsroom to identify the nature of scale of this agenda-setting problems, but anecdotal evidence suggest the media powerhouse are controlled by certain corporate henches and lobby it to the government and the government now nourish and nurtures them according to their whims and fancies. So they can easily be seeped into broadcasting with their docket.
Today India is at the cusp of both economic and social changes and is considered to be one of the emerging global superpowers. The time has come when some introspection by the Indian media is to correct certain degree of defects and thus of credibility thereby assisting India's growth in this period of transformation. However, the question still remains----- is it enough, for the media to be independent that it free from the influence of the government?
In this day and age with readily available information almost about everything one should posses digital literacy and at least an idea of skepticism within us. Media trails need to be stopped, people should wait and for the investigation to complete and not arrive at conclusion. Perhaps, the best way to approach news with a healthy dose of curiosity. It can be useful tool in disseminating wrong information. And it is always better to cross-check and ensure the information we receive are truly valid.
