I personally believe that media plays the most important role when it comes to nation building, national integration and educated population. By educated, i do not mean literate. Even if we look at our history, the Independence movement was inspired and fed by the media. The strong media , without any fear of the administration had inspired the masses. It helped great leaders like Gandhi, Nehru, Azad, Tilak and many more to capture the imagination of the people.
But today the same national media that has such a colorful history has lost its plot completely. Journalism today is still a service, but not a social service but a commercial service. I really feel that the major reason for the misdirection of main stream media is a direct capitalist influence. Its more like , 'don't cast a news if you can't sell the news' and lack of quality. Take any product range, there will be quality products and not so good products packaged hi-fi. Same is for the news today in India 'Amitabh Bachan ne cheka' and that too in a 16 point bold lettered breaking news.
Let me break down on what i feel our media needs to improve.
1) Language quality- I read 'Times of India' every day. The number of spelling mistakes and grammatical mistakes the paper makes is really appalling. Its not the only paper, I have found the same in many major dailies like DNA, Hindstan Times etc. Times of India is supposedly one of our flagship newspaper, giving us a sense of pride. It carries really good articles too (I never miss a Jug Surraya article), including about English language (One of the best articles i have ever ready in any news paper comes from the same one which delt with importance of comma in English language)
I make a lot of grammatical and spelling mistakes, but there is a difference between me making a mistake and Times or any other major media house making a mistake. Infact i would say, lot of us readers are influenced by the articles, we pick up words and spelling from papers. If they are gonna screw up then its not good.
2) Presentation quality - This is something I found common in most TV Channels like NDTV, CNN-IBN, Headlines Today and a lot more . eg: "Market went up by 200 points. The BSE shot from 12800 to 13000. 200 points is what the market gained. The day opened in 12800 and closed in 13000'
Well, could we not have finished that in a max of two sentences 'Market opened at 12800 and closed at 13000 shooting by 200 points'. Many presenters complicate things, repeat or rephrase a lot confusing the normal viewer. I some times feel like laughing at these guys. These same channels cut their guests to go into commercial breaks. Can't we reduce this Mumbo Jumbo and show ADVs there. Also, the viewer is not a computer, she is gonna lose interest and go for the remote.
3) Commitment to National Interests - This is something I found lacking in most mainstream media. 26 11 2008 mumbai terrorist attacks really proved that our media gives more importance to commercial interests than to national. Well, the defense team had specifically requested the media to not show any operational activities live and guess what may media houses delayed relay by few minutes. Some Jurno's even tried to interview officers in action.
There was this great article in Times of India where a female jurno describes what she saw on that day and how one of the jurno from a channel crawled to soldier who had take position and tried to interview him. NDTV's Barkha Dutt even issued a note saying NDTV delayed relay by 10 minutes. Well, for NDTV 10 mins may be life time but for national welfare it ain't. All the main stream media houses went live that day with the action thriller right out side our windows.
Media houses should act in a more responsible way , not showing live means, not give out any details that would help the enemy to change the outcome of our defense action. Now think abt the delays provided by media houses ? I even posted a reply to Barkha's post on NDTV website, but never saw my reply posted for next two days. I then did not follow up any more.
Another interesting case is that of CNN-IBN and the cash for vote scam. CNN-IBN took the video, did the sting operation, but did nothing from its side to stop a national tragedy from happening and then we saw wades of notes in the parliament and a national shame was broadcast live, replayed and again by many mainstream media houses.
4) Ethics - This is some thing really missing in today's media. There is nothing but sensationalism in there. 'If there ain't a story, lets manufacture one' seems to be the mantra of today's media. I can think of a lot of specific instances but will mention two to prove my point. One, the news report that Sehwag and Dhoni are having a tiff. After the strong statement from Dhoni, no media house has had the balls to speak of that story again. None is coming forward and providing proof for what they reported. I strongly back Dhoni in the way he responded.
Another case of Poonam Yadav, who was a strong contender in the show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa of Zee TV. Some gossip column reported about an alleged affair of this young girl with her mentor Ismail Darbar without any proof and just because she was hospitalized they said she had gone through abortion and tried suicide. Well, where is proof. When Editors allow this kinda story they should ask for verification to their journalists. She is an easy prey also since she is poor and the media house knows she can't afford to take them to court. I did a Google search on this girl to see how her career has shaped after the show (since she was my fav contender of that year) and I could find no website with the Info, instead all fed me with this news and that's how i came to know of this. The girl came forward to clear the air and call this character assassination. I also remember a Delhi teacher being maligned by a Hindi news channel sting.
Well,I feel we need stronger laws against such indecent publications. In Italy, you can't publish a person's photo without his permission. Well, I won't go that far, but still believe that we need to protected the common man more.
5) Follow ups - Our media never follows up on any issue. They write when an issue is hot or when it has a element of sensation or sting or any thing. But never follow up unless they get some really good sound bytes that will re sensationalize the issue. I completely dis agree with this attitude. Even the American Media acts in a more responsible way when it comes to follow ups.
I can think of a lot more, but i will stop this here since this post is getting too long. Will continue in another post.
I hope that our media will be more responsible at the face of another 26 11. Self restraint has been show by citizens, can media do the same is a very important question.
But today the same national media that has such a colorful history has lost its plot completely. Journalism today is still a service, but not a social service but a commercial service. I really feel that the major reason for the misdirection of main stream media is a direct capitalist influence. Its more like , 'don't cast a news if you can't sell the news' and lack of quality. Take any product range, there will be quality products and not so good products packaged hi-fi. Same is for the news today in India 'Amitabh Bachan ne cheka' and that too in a 16 point bold lettered breaking news.
Let me break down on what i feel our media needs to improve.
1) Language quality- I read 'Times of India' every day. The number of spelling mistakes and grammatical mistakes the paper makes is really appalling. Its not the only paper, I have found the same in many major dailies like DNA, Hindstan Times etc. Times of India is supposedly one of our flagship newspaper, giving us a sense of pride. It carries really good articles too (I never miss a Jug Surraya article), including about English language (One of the best articles i have ever ready in any news paper comes from the same one which delt with importance of comma in English language)
I make a lot of grammatical and spelling mistakes, but there is a difference between me making a mistake and Times or any other major media house making a mistake. Infact i would say, lot of us readers are influenced by the articles, we pick up words and spelling from papers. If they are gonna screw up then its not good.
2) Presentation quality - This is something I found common in most TV Channels like NDTV, CNN-IBN, Headlines Today and a lot more . eg: "Market went up by 200 points. The BSE shot from 12800 to 13000. 200 points is what the market gained. The day opened in 12800 and closed in 13000'
Well, could we not have finished that in a max of two sentences 'Market opened at 12800 and closed at 13000 shooting by 200 points'. Many presenters complicate things, repeat or rephrase a lot confusing the normal viewer. I some times feel like laughing at these guys. These same channels cut their guests to go into commercial breaks. Can't we reduce this Mumbo Jumbo and show ADVs there. Also, the viewer is not a computer, she is gonna lose interest and go for the remote.
3) Commitment to National Interests - This is something I found lacking in most mainstream media. 26 11 2008 mumbai terrorist attacks really proved that our media gives more importance to commercial interests than to national. Well, the defense team had specifically requested the media to not show any operational activities live and guess what may media houses delayed relay by few minutes. Some Jurno's even tried to interview officers in action.
There was this great article in Times of India where a female jurno describes what she saw on that day and how one of the jurno from a channel crawled to soldier who had take position and tried to interview him. NDTV's Barkha Dutt even issued a note saying NDTV delayed relay by 10 minutes. Well, for NDTV 10 mins may be life time but for national welfare it ain't. All the main stream media houses went live that day with the action thriller right out side our windows.
Media houses should act in a more responsible way , not showing live means, not give out any details that would help the enemy to change the outcome of our defense action. Now think abt the delays provided by media houses ? I even posted a reply to Barkha's post on NDTV website, but never saw my reply posted for next two days. I then did not follow up any more.
Another interesting case is that of CNN-IBN and the cash for vote scam. CNN-IBN took the video, did the sting operation, but did nothing from its side to stop a national tragedy from happening and then we saw wades of notes in the parliament and a national shame was broadcast live, replayed and again by many mainstream media houses.
4) Ethics - This is some thing really missing in today's media. There is nothing but sensationalism in there. 'If there ain't a story, lets manufacture one' seems to be the mantra of today's media. I can think of a lot of specific instances but will mention two to prove my point. One, the news report that Sehwag and Dhoni are having a tiff. After the strong statement from Dhoni, no media house has had the balls to speak of that story again. None is coming forward and providing proof for what they reported. I strongly back Dhoni in the way he responded.
Another case of Poonam Yadav, who was a strong contender in the show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa of Zee TV. Some gossip column reported about an alleged affair of this young girl with her mentor Ismail Darbar without any proof and just because she was hospitalized they said she had gone through abortion and tried suicide. Well, where is proof. When Editors allow this kinda story they should ask for verification to their journalists. She is an easy prey also since she is poor and the media house knows she can't afford to take them to court. I did a Google search on this girl to see how her career has shaped after the show (since she was my fav contender of that year) and I could find no website with the Info, instead all fed me with this news and that's how i came to know of this. The girl came forward to clear the air and call this character assassination. I also remember a Delhi teacher being maligned by a Hindi news channel sting.
Well,I feel we need stronger laws against such indecent publications. In Italy, you can't publish a person's photo without his permission. Well, I won't go that far, but still believe that we need to protected the common man more.
5) Follow ups - Our media never follows up on any issue. They write when an issue is hot or when it has a element of sensation or sting or any thing. But never follow up unless they get some really good sound bytes that will re sensationalize the issue. I completely dis agree with this attitude. Even the American Media acts in a more responsible way when it comes to follow ups.
I can think of a lot more, but i will stop this here since this post is getting too long. Will continue in another post.
I hope that our media will be more responsible at the face of another 26 11. Self restraint has been show by citizens, can media do the same is a very important question.
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