Where’s the RTI for the media?
The Right to Information Act of 2006 has been a watershed in Indian democracy by increasing transparency on how the government carries out the function of governing and policy decision making. The Act has been well received despite its teething troubles and the crucial question of whether to include file notings in the purview of the act. Those troubles aside, in principle, the legislation will go a long way in introducing a greater degree of transparency, which as stated is the hallmark of any democratic system. Moreover, the act also empowers the citizen, who is now armed with a law, which can hold his government and public servant accountable for actions and decisions taken. However, one wonders whether the present law can be modified to include another pillar of democracy, which of late has played the role of an errant boy, in our current set-up – the media.
The opening up of the media space has ushered the floodgate of information that is now available to the viewer or reader. This increased media presence has played a crucial role in highlighting issues that were earlier overlooked or un-reported. Gone are the days when the staid old Doordarshan would be the only source of information to the general audience. The major disadvantage of the state run media was that accusations were offer laid on it for helping or supporting the ruling dispensation. Now, with channels and newspapers galore the government and all major sections of the ruling elite maintain a healthy fear of being exposed by the media for their acts of omission and commission. But this relentless pursuit of information and news has reached a breaking point of sorts. 24-hour news channels and tabloid sections of newspapers are looking for ‘news’ where none exists. Many a times one wonders whether what one is watching is exactly news or the twisted views of voyeur being caught by the lens of a camera. Shameful news stories have appeared where media persons have actively encouraged people to immolate themselves so that that they can get that famed ‘exclusive’. The word exclusive itself has become the most abused term in the media, with even a press conference of someone important being passed of as an exclusive. Also, one has noticed an increased sense of ‘dumbing’ down of the media and stories.
Journalists argue that we are addressing an audience that watches such news stories and ultimately if there is a demand then there is a news channel that is willing to fulfill it. The argument is flawed as the media prides itself in educating the ordinary viewer about what is the state of the nation and also let them know about how our country is being run. Surely showing biased news stories and writing motivated columns does not uphold to that principle. However, any mention of any sort of regulation on the media is downrightly termed as a move to curb freedom of expression. No democratic setup will ever advocate any sort of move that undermines the very principle of democracy – freedom of expression. But many still raise eyebrows on how motivated stories appear at the whims and fancies of journalists. If the truth has to emerge then the personal views of the journalist are immaterial, that should be left for the opinion makers and the edit page, not for ‘news’. Today, if one flips through any channel all one sees are views and not news based on hard facts. The media needs to encourage self-regulation to improve its lot before the pursuit of TRP’s and eyeballs makes them redundant. Madhu Trehan, a veteran journalist from the ‘Newstrack’ days recently spoke out on a panel discussion on NDTV about the way editorial space in a national daily was being “sold”. Such alarming views and that too from the fraternity itself warrants some sort of attention and frankly grave introspection.
Traditional media will also have to come to terms with the fact that people interested in the news are now relying on non-conventional innovative ways to get their daily dose. News blogs, podcasts, independent news portals and citizen journalism are fast becoming the core source of getting the news. In a way, if traditional media does not get over its biases on these newer information outlets the cat will be out of the bag on facts overlooked and facts not reported as they exist. A case in point has been the recent Barak controversy involving George Fernandes and now the UPA and the Navy. When the CBI charge-sheeted Fernandes all hell broke loose on how outdated and flawed the Israeli Barak missiles were and how good the indigenous Trishul system would have been had it not been discouraged by Fernandes. Now, with the Trishul project itself in the doldrums the media is blaming the DRDO on the long delays and the virtual redundancy of the Trishul as it has been in the planning for the past 20 odd years. A more prudent analysis of the weapon systems in question was never delved into and only quick sound bytes from disgruntled members on both sides were aired and passed of as facts. To top it all what has been appalling has been the manner in which the current Defense Minister and the UPA have been blamed for doing a flip-flop on Barak and Trishul. Never was analysis done what are the requirements of the Navy and the armed forces in general on its needs and how the two systems fared when squared off against one another. Quite frankly, this bandwagon style of journalism will soon start getting flak with people relying on independent sources to get to the truth.
There is not denying the fact that the strong criticism against the media does not in any way take away the good that is being done by them. The Jessica Lal case and now the Mattoo verdict has been the work of the media to make the stories of the slain remain centre stage in public consciousness. Also, a replacement for the media by news blogs and web portals is still a way off with most people in the country relying on the good old ways of getting their news. But with each passing sting operation and media hype around issues that seem to die a mysterious death, the media houses need to do a thorough analysis of where they stand today. Fact checking and the veracity of sources is a must in any story. Lessons need to be learnt on the Valerie Plame issue that rocked the media and polity in the US, where New York Times journalist Judith Miller had to spend time in jail for not revealing her source that put Plame at a serious risk of bodily harm. An intense debate has raged since on what constitutes as journalism in the interest of the people and what amounts to biased reporting that can harm people. Such introspection is acutely needed amongst the luminaries in the field before some sort of legislation on how transparent the news organizations are in making news stories is forced on them or worse still before the news starts looking like an episode of Saas-Bahu and nothing more.
The Right to Information Act of 2006 has been a watershed in Indian democracy by increasing transparency on how the government carries out the function of governing and policy decision making. The Act has been well received despite its teething troubles and the crucial question of whether to include file notings in the purview of the act. Those troubles aside, in principle, the legislation will go a long way in introducing a greater degree of transparency, which as stated is the hallmark of any democratic system. Moreover, the act also empowers the citizen, who is now armed with a law, which can hold his government and public servant accountable for actions and decisions taken. However, one wonders whether the present law can be modified to include another pillar of democracy, which of late has played the role of an errant boy, in our current set-up – the media.
The opening up of the media space has ushered the floodgate of information that is now available to the viewer or reader. This increased media presence has played a crucial role in highlighting issues that were earlier overlooked or un-reported. Gone are the days when the staid old Doordarshan would be the only source of information to the general audience. The major disadvantage of the state run media was that accusations were offer laid on it for helping or supporting the ruling dispensation. Now, with channels and newspapers galore the government and all major sections of the ruling elite maintain a healthy fear of being exposed by the media for their acts of omission and commission. But this relentless pursuit of information and news has reached a breaking point of sorts. 24-hour news channels and tabloid sections of newspapers are looking for ‘news’ where none exists. Many a times one wonders whether what one is watching is exactly news or the twisted views of voyeur being caught by the lens of a camera. Shameful news stories have appeared where media persons have actively encouraged people to immolate themselves so that that they can get that famed ‘exclusive’. The word exclusive itself has become the most abused term in the media, with even a press conference of someone important being passed of as an exclusive. Also, one has noticed an increased sense of ‘dumbing’ down of the media and stories.
Journalists argue that we are addressing an audience that watches such news stories and ultimately if there is a demand then there is a news channel that is willing to fulfill it. The argument is flawed as the media prides itself in educating the ordinary viewer about what is the state of the nation and also let them know about how our country is being run. Surely showing biased news stories and writing motivated columns does not uphold to that principle. However, any mention of any sort of regulation on the media is downrightly termed as a move to curb freedom of expression. No democratic setup will ever advocate any sort of move that undermines the very principle of democracy – freedom of expression. But many still raise eyebrows on how motivated stories appear at the whims and fancies of journalists. If the truth has to emerge then the personal views of the journalist are immaterial, that should be left for the opinion makers and the edit page, not for ‘news’. Today, if one flips through any channel all one sees are views and not news based on hard facts. The media needs to encourage self-regulation to improve its lot before the pursuit of TRP’s and eyeballs makes them redundant. Madhu Trehan, a veteran journalist from the ‘Newstrack’ days recently spoke out on a panel discussion on NDTV about the way editorial space in a national daily was being “sold”. Such alarming views and that too from the fraternity itself warrants some sort of attention and frankly grave introspection.
Traditional media will also have to come to terms with the fact that people interested in the news are now relying on non-conventional innovative ways to get their daily dose. News blogs, podcasts, independent news portals and citizen journalism are fast becoming the core source of getting the news. In a way, if traditional media does not get over its biases on these newer information outlets the cat will be out of the bag on facts overlooked and facts not reported as they exist. A case in point has been the recent Barak controversy involving George Fernandes and now the UPA and the Navy. When the CBI charge-sheeted Fernandes all hell broke loose on how outdated and flawed the Israeli Barak missiles were and how good the indigenous Trishul system would have been had it not been discouraged by Fernandes. Now, with the Trishul project itself in the doldrums the media is blaming the DRDO on the long delays and the virtual redundancy of the Trishul as it has been in the planning for the past 20 odd years. A more prudent analysis of the weapon systems in question was never delved into and only quick sound bytes from disgruntled members on both sides were aired and passed of as facts. To top it all what has been appalling has been the manner in which the current Defense Minister and the UPA have been blamed for doing a flip-flop on Barak and Trishul. Never was analysis done what are the requirements of the Navy and the armed forces in general on its needs and how the two systems fared when squared off against one another. Quite frankly, this bandwagon style of journalism will soon start getting flak with people relying on independent sources to get to the truth.
There is not denying the fact that the strong criticism against the media does not in any way take away the good that is being done by them. The Jessica Lal case and now the Mattoo verdict has been the work of the media to make the stories of the slain remain centre stage in public consciousness. Also, a replacement for the media by news blogs and web portals is still a way off with most people in the country relying on the good old ways of getting their news. But with each passing sting operation and media hype around issues that seem to die a mysterious death, the media houses need to do a thorough analysis of where they stand today. Fact checking and the veracity of sources is a must in any story. Lessons need to be learnt on the Valerie Plame issue that rocked the media and polity in the US, where New York Times journalist Judith Miller had to spend time in jail for not revealing her source that put Plame at a serious risk of bodily harm. An intense debate has raged since on what constitutes as journalism in the interest of the people and what amounts to biased reporting that can harm people. Such introspection is acutely needed amongst the luminaries in the field before some sort of legislation on how transparent the news organizations are in making news stories is forced on them or worse still before the news starts looking like an episode of Saas-Bahu and nothing more.
posted by Karan Thakur @ 6:19 AM
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