Media RIP!
It’s a known fact that most media houses are under the control of corporates and political parties, and thus it is not surprising that the same news is presented in many distorted ways to suit the tastes of their masters. Governments and political parties use the advertorials stick, or to a lesser extent denial of audience or interviews, to punish the media who stand up to question their acts. The nation, why, the world has never been in a worse kind of influenced media reporting, which are merely views preferred by the owners of the press, electronic and print alike.
Governments, both the Centre and the States continue to be the biggest spenders and publicity seekers and have bottomless pockets, which the media can never ignore. Taking a stand contrary to the government’s liking often results in denial of advertisements, rendering profound financial anaemia of the press.
The editor of one English newspaper published from Kolkata, before the last assembly election in West Bengal, had mistakenly concluded that the ruling party led by Mamata Banerjee would badly lose and went ballistic on Narada sting scam. They owned the most popular regional TV channel as well, which too echoed the editor’s choice to the extent of an overkill. Shockingly for them, they lost in their gamble, resulting in the editor silently quitting. During this entire period, the media was denied any rightful share of the state largesse of limitless advertisements.
The editor was replaced, the new one now toes the line of the state, singing paeans and obliterating the earlier stand of theirs. The advertisements are back, to the extent that a 16 page may find as much as 8 advertisements. The situation could be even more distressing when it comes to the Central government, which has vast resources and covers pan-India.
I guess the money spent is public’s and therefore the wielding stick of the government, forcing media to toe their line must be made more accountable. If the award of advertisements can be regulated transparently, it may reduce the opinionated and biased news as well as fake news that we are force-fed.
Real democracy is one, where there is a fearless press, daring to report as is without fear or favour.
Sampath Kumar
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