Retaining credibility the challenge ahead
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: September 19 2011 -

Bijoy Koijam, N Biren, A Mobi, K Ranjit and L Jayentakr on the occasion of 38th Foundation Day of AMWJU :: Pix - HL

Often described as the fourth pillar of a democratic polity, the significance of press need no further emphasis. Over and above keeping the public informed of major issues and event, one of the most important duties of the press is to function as the watch dog of the people, expose corruption or other wrong doings by the government of the day, powerful individuals, public entities, private companies etc.

In several instances, the press has performed these duties remarkably well.

Many high and mighty fell from the pedestal when their transgression were uncovered by the media. Richard Nixon had to resign from Presidency of the United States of America, following the work put in by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein of the Washington Post -investigative journalism at its best and, here in India, Rajiv Gandhi led Congress party had to bite the dust at the hustings over the Bofor scandal, to cite two of the best known cases of the effective role of the press in fighting wrong doings at high places.

But the press is not without its underbelly. There are many short comings of the press which is much talked about by media watchers, social scientists, political and social activists.

Ever increasing commercialization is certainly an area which has generated much debate. Selling the paper or increasing the TRP of a channel whichever way has taken precedence over everything else.

This entails catching the eye of the reader or the audience by any means - sensationalizing news, undue importance to scandals, more stress on entertaining rather than on dissiminating information etc. Newspapers are packaged as products to be consumed.

Brand managers and advertising section, at times, enjoy significant clout in newspaper establishments often at the expense of the editorial section. Biasness or coverage disproportionate to the significance or importance of an issue or an event is yet another weak spot of the media in general.

The mainstream media of India, is glued to happenings in an around the metros. Politics, entertainment and cricket are its staple diet. Peripheries in terms of region, race, community, groups remain peripheral to their interest. Coverage of Irom Sharmila's fast, farmers suicides in western India are instances of this neglect of the peripheries.

But the most serious challenge to media in recent times has been the series of exposures of unethical conduct indulged in by journalists and media houses.

The phone hacking scandal where journalists of the 'News of the World' hacked into phones of around 4000 individuals which include politicians, celebrities, sports stars and even victims of crime is among the more serious.

The scandal eventually led to the shutting down of the newspaper after 168 years of publication in July 2011.

In India, we had the Radia tapes scandal which revealed the extend of nexus between politicians, corporate houses, lobbyists, bureaucrats and journalists and how this powerful group are able to influence almost everything right from cabinet berth to awarding of contracts, 2G scam being one of the prominent cases.

The issue of paid news which surfaced during the Maharashtra Assembly election last year has also dented the credibility of the media in this country to a great extend. Hundreds of millions of rupees are alleged to have been paid to buy "news" space in leading newspapers and air time in television channels.

In Manipur also, paid news syndrome has started raising its head. Spate of coverage given to benefactors of the masses, the "social workers" who have suddenly emerged out of the blue as the state assembly election nears, being the most visible manifestation of this phenomenon.

In their defense it can be said that given the working condition, as also the meagre remuneration, journalists in the state are especially vulnerable to all sorts of enticement.

But this should not be an excuse for unethical conduct which will bring a bad name to the whole journalists' fraternity in state.

The AMWJU has taken the right step by coming out against this phenomenon in no uncertain terms, including expulsion of any journalist found taking favours in exchange of publishing news from the membership of the Union.

Side by side, to tackle this menace, it is also necessary to improve the working condition and enhance the wages of the journalists in the state.

There should be incentives for sincere journalists and media houses which adhere strictly to media ethics.

The press in Manipur, despite all its limitations has been doing a commendable job; it is one of the few institutions in the state on whom people still have faith.

Let's us not lose it.