The issue of corruption in governance has gripped the nation's conscience quite drastically with the Anna movement. Suddenly people in general have become more demanding of the government on this front. But we must ask whether this one dimensional approach, solely seeking administrative reforms, is the right approach? Is that sufficient or even possible when one of the most powerful means of shaping public opinion lies open in the market for powerful people to play with? This uni-dimensional way certainly cannot be a wholesome approach towards a true democracy, because true democracy can flourish only when information related to all kinds of administrative affairs can free flow to people without any filter of prejudice or attachment.
There are four pillars of democracy, as they say, and one of them is media. While administrative, judicial and police reforms are undoubtedly required, we should not forget this fourth pillar of the democracy, through which people come to form their opinion over issues.
It is folly to believe that media self-regulates. That is absolutely untrue. Neither it does, nor will it ever do. The only possible solution is to have an independent constitutional body look into its affairs, without micro-managing it, but having jurisdiction over it and the provision to take up public complaints against it.
If we understand why with the Jan Lokpal movement, the need for CBI's independence has been accentuated, then we should also understand that the same need applies equally well on independent regulation of media. If we yearn for a strong and vibrant democracy, we need to keep a simple fact in mind that without a free and fair media we can never really achieve that. Without true and complete information flowing to the people, people will confront each other over issues because they have been fed misinformation. The spread of misinformation and distortion of facts has divided Indians over their own past and present. In fact, Indian media is being used to ensure that this divide remains, so that it is easy to polarize voters and followers.
What is the state of the media today? It is neck deep in corruption, for the simple reason that these are private profit seeking entities who can easily be twisted and controlled either by money power or by administrative powers, mostly money is enough reason. This is explained quite explicitly in a documentary video called Brokering News (© Prasar Bharati Corporation, 2011).
What are the implications of media being corrupt? Biased reporting, propaganda news, lack of investigative journalism, spread of misinformation, distortion of facts and the very basis of how people can form an opinion over an issue is severely threatened. Can we then really say that this nation is really a democracy when people at large cannot make informed decisions? Are we paying attention to the damage the present media has done and is doing to the nation?
We need to stand up now and demand that with the CBI under Lokpal, media should also come under its authority. The very necessity of taking CBI away from government's clutches is also resoundingly applicable to the media. And while I am not opposed to commercial media running in parallel, a section of media guided by the free and fair principles of an independent constitutional body can enable us to keep its functioning transparent and accountable to the people.
Let us deliberate upon this necessity and spread the word, or do whatever is necessary to bring this issue to the forefront.
There are four pillars of democracy, as they say, and one of them is media. While administrative, judicial and police reforms are undoubtedly required, we should not forget this fourth pillar of the democracy, through which people come to form their opinion over issues.
It is folly to believe that media self-regulates. That is absolutely untrue. Neither it does, nor will it ever do. The only possible solution is to have an independent constitutional body look into its affairs, without micro-managing it, but having jurisdiction over it and the provision to take up public complaints against it.
If we understand why with the Jan Lokpal movement, the need for CBI's independence has been accentuated, then we should also understand that the same need applies equally well on independent regulation of media. If we yearn for a strong and vibrant democracy, we need to keep a simple fact in mind that without a free and fair media we can never really achieve that. Without true and complete information flowing to the people, people will confront each other over issues because they have been fed misinformation. The spread of misinformation and distortion of facts has divided Indians over their own past and present. In fact, Indian media is being used to ensure that this divide remains, so that it is easy to polarize voters and followers.
What is the state of the media today? It is neck deep in corruption, for the simple reason that these are private profit seeking entities who can easily be twisted and controlled either by money power or by administrative powers, mostly money is enough reason. This is explained quite explicitly in a documentary video called Brokering News (© Prasar Bharati Corporation, 2011).
What are the implications of media being corrupt? Biased reporting, propaganda news, lack of investigative journalism, spread of misinformation, distortion of facts and the very basis of how people can form an opinion over an issue is severely threatened. Can we then really say that this nation is really a democracy when people at large cannot make informed decisions? Are we paying attention to the damage the present media has done and is doing to the nation?
We need to stand up now and demand that with the CBI under Lokpal, media should also come under its authority. The very necessity of taking CBI away from government's clutches is also resoundingly applicable to the media. And while I am not opposed to commercial media running in parallel, a section of media guided by the free and fair principles of an independent constitutional body can enable us to keep its functioning transparent and accountable to the people.
Let us deliberate upon this necessity and spread the word, or do whatever is necessary to bring this issue to the forefront.
