JOURNOS LACK INTELLECTUALITY

JOURNOS LACK INTELLECTUALITY 5/11/2011

Last night i.e. 4th November I witnessed a debate on CNN IBN , where Karan Tapar was anchoring. They were categorically discussing the role of media as per Justice Markandey Katju statements as a Chairman of the press council. That propelled me to write something on this issue.

I fully agree that the role of media is to show the transparent and crystal clear picture of the society rather than Lady Gaga shows , some fashion elements and Bollywood type events and Cricket , which has become the opium of the masses. These events take more spaces than the poverty, maladministration, economic crisis, corruption, bribery which have become the primary thing for the media to highlight.


I agree and disagree with some points of Justice Katju. We have to analyze it in details. The press has not taken the criticism in right spirit. Some of the editors and owners think that they are above the law and their motives should not be questioned, but the truth is press like any other organization is full of self serving and selfish people. The press has also evolved from the same society like the rest of us and they should be prepared to face scrutiny like the rest of us. There are numerous examples where the press reporters have been found to indulge in all kinds of nefarious activities. The press wants the political class to clean their house; the press should do the same. It’s about time the press had a hard look into the mirror.

Let us not confuse the issue. Markandey Katju, warned, “If media proves incorrigible, harsh measures may be required”. Such measures could include imposing heavy fines on defaulters, stopping government advertisements for them and even suspending their license.
He added that poverty and unemployment were major issues facing the country that needed to be highlighted and not the wife of some film actor getting pregnant. “But these days, it makes big news,” Justice Katju opined.


I totally disagree with the statement of Justice Katju ,” The majority, I'm sorry to say, are of a very poor intellectual level, media people, I doubt whether they have any idea of economic theory or political science, philosophy, literature, I have grave doubts whether they are well read in all this, which they should be. “
Yes, it may be possible to some extent but most of the journalists are well equipped with updates (Economics, political science, philosophy and much more) and pregnant with ideas. This is a poor and immature remark on the part of the Justice.


Was this immaturity expected of a retired Supreme Court judge? He took charge of Press Council barely a month back and he wants wide ranging powers to ‘instill fear’. Should he not focus on exercising the existing powers to regulate print media and prove himself before bargaining for additional powers?
Also is less than a month sufficient period for deciding conclusively on the ‘intellectual level’ of journalists? Even if it is, has he not alienated the journalistic community forever with this mindless indiscretion?


I agree with some opinion of Mr Katju when he says “Media divides people.” Justice Katju has noticed what we have noticed and suffering since long. We need people from other communities to raise this because the loved one's we are losing due to blasts doesn't belongs to one community. It’s a collective conspiracy by the government agencies, media, and right wing political parties. It clearly shows that the blasts were organized by the Hindu groups killing themselves and blaming largely Muslims. ATS Chief Hemant Karkare cracked this conspiracy and people know what happened to him, it is organized in such a way that the killers are from Pakistan so that no Indian be blamed on this therefore no question will raise on Indian political leaders like LK Advani, Praveen Togadia, RSS & Shivsena. There is a need to control the electronic media which is working on communal parties interest. We are protesting against the corruption in government departments but we are ignoring the corruption amongst the electronic media. We need an independent body to control them. Otherwise they will demonize anybody not only Muslims currently Muslims are target.


"Press freedom is a bulwark for the Indian people against the onslaught of people in authority, and the Guild will firmly oppose the assumption of any draconian powers by a Press Council that was created with an altogether different purpose," the Editors Guild rightly said on 1st November i.e. Tuesday.

The Editor Guild could very well have taken this an opportunity and done introspection. While it does not want external supervision, what has been its track record in enforcing self regulation? Its own Revised Code of Practice of 2007 lists 22 ‘Dos and Don’ts’ for journalists and many of them cover the same issues voiced by Katju. Unfortunately the Code does not talk of any disciplinary action for violation.

According to me, during the pre-Independence period, the media had a sense of nationalism. Leading newspapers played a vital role in educating the masses and inculcating the spirit of nationalism. But in the post-Independent era, the foremost interest of the media has been profit, since most of the leading media houses are owned by corporate houses. Freedom of expression is, no doubt, a fundamental right but we need to act when it is abused.

It’s high time that strong controls should be put in place which can stop or reduce corruption in our 4th pillar. Journalist and editors need to invest more on finding truth, focus on key issues and not on sensationalism, reduce bias in articles/stories, do fair coverage, do not push hidden agenda, present facts and not twist them, educate people of India, create awareness around social issues, innovate how you present do not copy CNN or BBC anchors, show more news, less advertisements and do not create fake or twist tweets” No Joke at all.

SIDDHARTHA SHANKAR MISHRA,
BUREAU CHIEF,
THESE DAYS, TASVER E HIND, ORISSA, SAMBALPUR