Mainstreaming Media : Let us look ahead
- Part 2 -

Monalisa Changkija *

The media in Manipur, in the entire Northeastern region, are the most unsuccessful from these perspectives as the media here are neither wealthy nor politically powerful. But the media cannot etch its imprints as a crucial Estate of democracy and participate in societal peace-making efforts, in the development process, in creating a healthy debate on issues that impact upon the lives of the humblest citizen if it remains as poor as the church mouse. How do we resolve this situation without compromising the independence of the media as one of the autonomous estates of democracy because in the larger scheme of things, he who funds calls the shots.

This cannot be resolved by making laws and rules and regulations. It can be resolved only by courage of conviction of he who funds. If we must find our way forward, we have to work on our courage of conviction and empower our media financially and every other way. The media cannot be mainstreamed unless it is empowered with more independence and more autonomy financially and otherwise. The Government of Manipur must sit with the media here and work out a system which would enable and empower the media, with the conviction that a strong media is the best medicine to cure the State of almost all its ailments.

A strong media also indicates a strong and secure Government. It is only insecure and shaky Governments that normally suppress the media. A strong media is also reflective of a society's strong mooring to the finest culture and traditions of democracy that uphold the sovereignty of the citizens. It is ironic but security cover has become another way of quantifying a person's importance, power and success.

I do not suggest that our Editors are surrounded by uniformed personnel and our media establishments are covered with security personnel round the clock. That would be in total contradiction to the essence of the Fourth Estate in any self-respecting democracy. However, the Government of Manipur, as indeed all Northeastern State Governments, must find ways and means to ensure security of media personnel. It would help greatly if the Government of Manipur sends an unequivocal message across that it would have zero tolerance towards any threat and/or breach of security of the media in the State.

And in the event of any threat or breach of security of the media in the State, it would greatly help if the Manipur Government accords top priority to bring to book the guilty. Such action would send across the message that the Government of Manipur prioritises the institution of the Fourth Estate as crucial to democracy and development and would not tolerate any individual or groups of individuals that seek to harm or humiliate the media.

The media is also acknowledged and accorded esteem through numerous other ways, particularly through social platforms. Can the Government of Manipur think in terms of inviting renowned Editors, Columnists and Journalists as Chief Guests, Guests of Honour, Special Invitees, etc for Government programmes, social functions, fairs, festivals, etc?

When the Chief Minister, other Ministers, senior bureaucrats go to other Indian States or abroad on official duties, is it possible for the Government of Manipur to invite members of the press to be a part of the retinue to strengthen it efforts towards transparency but not to strengthen the State Government's Public Relations propaganda?

Considering the very limited scope for the local media to earn revenue, is it possible for the Government of Manipur to facilitate and cater to the medical needs by way of treatment, insurance, etc, of media persons and their immediate families and dependents, as much as facilitate the educational scope for media persons' children and dependents by way of scholarships, especially higher education, under the State Government's capacity building programmes without attaching any stings to these financial support-systems?

Is it also possible for the Government of Manipur to institute awards, including cash incentives, to all categories of outstanding journalists, as also encourage literary and cultural bodies to institute awards, including cash or gift incentives, to all categories aof journalists, so as to not only mainstream the media but also to attract the finest talents into this vocation? What is the system of issuance of Government advertisements and payments thereof to the local print and electronic media? Systems have a very disquieting way of revealing priorities and prejudices.

No system is perfect but is it possible for the Government of Manipur to constantly review such systems not only to facilitate better functioning of the media but also to send the message that the Government of Manipur accords priority to all media matters. Our media houses in the Northeast are very small enterprises with just a handful of people assuming multiple roles and responsibilities.

And because the media functions 24 hours a day, time and human resource are precious and not easily available. It has been seen that Government employees, especially those entrusted with Accounts, across the region play psychological games to humiliate media persons, and in the process also earn a few bucks for chai. When the DAVP of the Central Government has successfully created a system and used technology to issue advertisements of numerous Central Government Ministries and Departments to over a lakh newspapers across the country, and that too published in numerous languages, and have also worked out a system of billing and payments without any one from any local newspaper/magazine from peripheral States like ours running after payments in New Delhi, why can't our Northeastern State Governments evolve similar workable systems for just a handful of newspapers and magazines here?

Is it because we lack the intelligence and knowledge or is it because we know that our petty self-interests would not be met if we evolved transparent systems that would cater to the effective and efficient functioning of democratic institutions, as also cater to groups such as contractors and suppliers, etc, thereby strengthening private entrepreneurship, however humble, in our Northeastern States? Now the issue of why we exist only in the periphery of what we call the national media.

True, the Northeast features in what we call the national media only when there is the kind of turmoil that attracts the attention of the Prime Minister or Home Minister, generally the powers-that-be at New Delhi and that too as a delayed reaction. This makes us feel even more distant from the centre of power and governance. But then, even female foeticide and similar issues in Haryana, just a few kilometers away from New Delhi also doesn't receive the attention they deserve from the country's seat of power.

What about Maoist militancy in several States nearer to New Delhi. One of the reasons Maoist militancy has escalated is because of New Delhi's neglect of the Dalits and Adivasis there for decades. For the powers-that-be at New Delhi, India consists of only Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Let us have no doubts about the reality of all peoples living in the fringe regions of New Delhi and accordingly let us strategise to make our voices heard globally. This is where we can make the optimum use of technology.

Also, I am not very sure whether I, as a media person, would like to be identified with the so-called mainstream national print and electronic media that is obsessed with Cricket, the Stock markets, glamourous movie personalities, the rich and the famous and almost everything that does not exist in our realities in the Northeast. In fact, we may not have as much of a voice at the national level but we can if we explore the endless possibilities technology offers today. Technology would enable us to be heard across the globe.

What's stopping us? Come on, let us shed the victim persona we have erroneously been wearing for the past few decades and look for strength within ourselves. New Delhi or the so-called national media cannot resolve our issues, even if they give us all the attention we desire. And making the headlines for all the wrong reasons is not the kind of attention that we deserve or should desire. We need to get our act together first and things, I believe, would fall in place.

I believe that if Northeastern societies and States (including Governments) focused on our strengths, as well as areas of agreement, and created the space and scope for every institution to be strengthened, and if we cleaned up our self-created mess, especially that of unsatisfactory governance, corruption, nepotism, all kinds of chauvinism, etc, there is no reason why we cannot develop and grow and make this State and this region one to be reckoned with at the national level. Let us collectively bridge the chasms we have created amongst ourselves first, indubitably the corollaries would follow. Let us not only look ahead but also acknowledge that there is much to look forward to.

Concluded....

(A paper presented at the recent seminar organised by the State Govt in absentia)

I thank the Government of Manipur, particularly, the Administrative Training Institute, for organising this seminar and for inviting me to speak. I also apologise for not being with you in person. My paper may be a huge disappointment to you, as it may not be what you have expected from me. I apologise for that. I also apologise if what I have written hurt any individual or institution in any way.