Does the Media have no Responsibility

Does the Media have no Responsibility    ( First Published- Defence Watch, July 2012)

Dr Manmohan Singh, PM of India, has been quoted in the India Today of 10 Oct 2005, “Newspapers can’t be mere platforms of entertainment and gossip. They can’t be purveyors of justice. They must serve a larger purpose”. Newspapers are a small part of the term ‘media’ which also constitutes the electronic medium, the all pervasive television, or the ‘idiot box’.

Media is no longer limited to the geographical boundaries of a nation, reaching out to a global audience through the omnipresent World Wide Web. It, therefore, plays an important role in almost every sphere of our lives, exposing or commenting upon governance or lack of it, creating a public opinion, whether right or wrong, informing and educating the general public on issues which otherwise would have remained dormant.

As the fourth pillar of a democracy, the media is generally aware of its responsibilities and commitments towards society. The Shekar Guptas, Josy Josephs, Barkha Dutts, Rajdeep Sardesais and Arnab Goswamis of the print and electronic medium are aware of the power of the pen and speech, yet there are some who get carried away with wanting to increase circulation or TRP ratings through hyper-exaggeration of news, ‘paid news’ or ‘inside information’.

Lately there has been a debate generated on whether the media needs to be regulated? The answer, in my opinion, is both in the affirmative and in the negative. There exists a Code of Conduct for the media, but is there an effective regulatory body to enforce it? What one media organization may find as saleable news may not be very palatable to another. This is not in the least a suggestion for regulating the news contents, for self-accountability gives media the necessary freedom of expression and a certain degree of independence. It should, however, be careful to write/talk about issues that are sensitive to national security.

There have been occasions when news about the military has been brought to the notice of the public without a careful thought of its impact. Cases of corruption in the military, considered the last bastion of discipline, should and must be reported, but at the same time it must also be brought to the notice of the same public, through similar prominence in the news, of the prompt action taken by the concerned authorities; this is almost never done and it gives an impression to the public at large, and members of the military in particular, that the issue has been buried just as in other cases of corruption. Has anybody in any media organization ever given a thought to this aspect?

Another issue, sensitive to the morale and national security, is the subject of military readiness or new acquisitions. One wonders how does the media lay its hands on “Secret” or “Confidential” documents and report them for the consumption of the public without a second thought, when the same documents, if reported by a member of the military, would invite strictures and punitive action on him under the Official Secrets Act? Does the journalist never think that such ‘breaking news’ could undermine the morale of the fighting soldier and create niggling doubts in the mind of the man in the street while providing priceless information to the adversaries?

While wrong doings should not be suppressed, there is a definite need for some introspection before reporting on sensitive matters that could affect the morale of personnel and could also lead to the unwanted disclosures of military plans.

There is an immediate need for the media, more so the electronic media, to observe self-discipline, ask mature questions of the politicians and officials, and report objectively and responsibly. State- authorized regulation is not the answer, but self-regulation through acquiring domain knowledge on matters of national security, is. The existing regulatory bodies, such as The Press Council of India, needs to act on their mandate and wield the cane wherever required. Dr Aroon Tikekar, former editor and present President of the Asiatic Society, is quoted in the Outlook (05 December 2011), “When the media fails to evolve its own code of conduct, the first casualty is its impact on society….if the media starts enjoying power without responsibility, it can be a menace to all concerned”.

Is the Indian society condemned to suffer this menace? Hopefully not!

Note: This piece was written in 2012, and most, if not all of it is still valid!