Death by Media

One burning issue; one topic that has the nation engaged and hooked on to television and radio. One bit that has spawn new presenters, announcers and anchors! Superstars and celebrities, in the making. What talking style and what impressive presentation, how immaculate was the grey of the suite and how impeccable was the tie matching the polka-dot shirt. 1.3 Billion to quote and a good 20% catchment over viewership, albeit spread across the plethora of old and new, performing and new-concept kind of News channels. Being part of media is by no way a mean feat.
Remember the epic of yore, “The World this week” presented and anchored by Pronnoy Roy, a program that etched a permanent place in young minds and mended opinions. Are we witnessing the culmination of that movement called “media” into a well orchestrated symphony that leads to instant stardom? Probably we are and why not, every focussed and farsighted struggle fetches apt rewards, if not immediately, then at the opportune moment. The way that program “The World this week” connected with the TG, it was a hit the moment it broke into prime-time broadcast.
Point that I very humbly want to bring up for consideration is that despite the high pedestal that India media enjoys, does it live up to that level of Social responsibility? High visibility calls for high integrity on the part of professionals representing media. After all who wouldn’t want the highest rated in-house channels incessantly ranting about your feat as a leader, Business, Social or Political? Has the “Truth shall prevail” kind of foundation, shifted towards a “Truth may get mired” kind of a stance? Incredible India with its breathtaking 7% plus GDP growth in the face of huge economic downturns in the developed world, offers that kind of opportunity, however sad, to those who want to make the most of it.
Broadly speaking News follows the following three stages of coverage over its period of life and broadcast………
Phase 1: Investigate; Unearth; Bring to the fore and hog footage
Phase 2: Analyze; Get experts talking; Hold a discussion forum and establish an opinion
Phase 3: Conclude and establish a valid point of view, YOUR point of view.
Every issue gets picked up; highlighted and played repeatedly till they leave an impression. Here howsoever hard I attempt to look back and rake my memory for want of one story that saw all the three phases, I can quote none. Is this a short term memory loss I am condemned to or do I see concurrence! The Anti graft uproar that the entire nation witnessed, last week ended on a high note. It was a high note for a celebrating nation and a frenzied mass that enjoys emoting. While everybody was happy to see a broad parliamentary consensus, and empathy towards implementation of Lokpal, Indian media left the story high and dry. While it is certainly too early to establish inadequacy of the media to seeing this episode to its end, but the hype and hoopla has for sure fizzed out from the channels. My best wished to Anna Hazare and his bastion of Lokpal supporters, for they can ill afford the truancy in News channels.
Media these days with all the glitz and glam leaves easy marks on impressionable minds and has trendy TRP ratings to validate the viewership of every prime-time broadcast. Well where is the synthesis of all that jazz? Covering Social sparks, Political unrest and coalition upheavals, celebrity gossip is by no means easy. But you can’t just let go of the most crucial story of yesterday, only because there is no further masala to exploit and leverage on the mass euphoria covering the issue. My big question is “Well what do you stand for?” Barring a noted Political bend displayed by leading Channels , and a full house of “available on the call” speakers, noted personalities from a wide cross section of public domains, Channels have obliterated any other position they stand for. “This story was first brought to you by our channel”, is the high pitched cry we hear. Fair enough, as this leads to corporate coffers and wealth for the Channel.
One can’t ask media to abstain from earning easy bucks, especially in these hard times. Is asking them to pursue their prime job really wrong?