Are we paying for this shit??? - Part 2

Continued from… Are we paying for this shit??? - Part 1

Zero Credibility

For me the credibility of these media channels has come down to zero and I have stopped believing in any news they show. One of the reasons is that even if they show a true story then that also would be shown in their own way with full of flavors. They will present it in such a way that it attracts more & more people and in turn increase their TRP. Hence, the core news loses its authenticity. I will not even hesitate in saying the revolutionary words that no news on these media channels is completely true these days. This includes the channels in question and not all media. Now I sometimes think that a decade before our very own “Delhi Doordarshan” times were the best when there were only news and no nonsense. These news channels are testing our patience and making people mentally ill. This issue needs to be dealt effectively and genuinely.

These media channels should be banned till the time they show sensible and true stories and most importantly in a proper manner. They have completely lost their mind and showing whatever they want. Freedom of expression does not mean that you can show anything that comes up in your mind and that too on a national platform. Especially when the thing you are showing firstly, is a complete fiction, secondly, triggers an uncalled fear in public and thirdly, play with our emotions and beliefs. Everyone knows what they did in Aarushi’s murder case and many others for that matter. Referring to the media coverage of the much-reported Aarushi Talwar murder case, Minister for information and broadcasting (I&B) Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi said, "I am keeping a close watch on TV coverage and media should take lessons from the way it covered the case." Supreme Court as well as the Government were critical of media's role in the manner of the twin murder case was covered. They have problem with everything. They have problem if the police is not disclosing their secrets to them and they even have problems once police have solved the case. They put unjustified pressure on the investigating agencies and purposely infuriate people by showing that they are doing nothing. Without knowing the facts they start their trial on the person and make him/her an accused of a crime. I mean, who the hell are they to do so? Who have given them these powers? On what basis they are running their own trial courts? And most importantly, why is not anybody stopping them?

Chief Justice’s reaction
Even our supreme court Chief Justice Mr. K.G. Balakrishnan has himself mentioned in one of his programs that “media trial” of pending cases is a wrong practice. In his words, the tendency of newspapers and news channels to carry unverified reports posed a danger to a free and fair constitutional judicial process. The manner in which “the modern media and telecommunications” intruded into a person’s life and caused embarrassing and damaging publicity, if left unchecked, would become “alarming.” The media trial, conveying public opinion in favour of one side or the other, particularly in criminal matters, had become increasingly frequent in recent times. Even before the court trial began, the accused was being shown as guilty.

This questioned the very premise on which the judicial system was based — the right of every party involved in a court proceeding to have his case adjudicated in a free, fair and unbiased manner.

Justice Balakrishnan also mentioned that the media were a sentinel of democratic freedom. It was the responsibility of every person associated with the media to act responsibly with a sense of duty towards society and the nation. In fact, journalists were “vigilant watchdogs of civil liberties.” The right of the media to report court proceedings emanated from the right of the citizen to know. The media also had the duty to report fairly, objectively and accurately. He said the media should be wary of allowing itself to become a vehicle for exerting “mass pressure” as opposed to a “mere expression of mass opinion.”

NBA – Can we see a change?
For your information, News Broadcasters Association (NBA), the apex body of all private news channels, has announced the setting up of a News Broadcasting Standards (Disputes Redress) Authority to enforce its Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards. The former Chief Justice of India, J. S. Verma, will chair the Authority, which will become operational from October 2, 2008. The other eight members have been equally divided into the Eminent Persons and Editors categories. The Association said that a "censure emanating from a jury of peers would indisputably affect the credibility of a channel." The process of censure would not be without its legal ramifications. They also stated that "A channel acting in breach of established guidelines could hardly defend its motives or suggest that it was acting fairly, if it is censured by a jury comprising its peers."

Content Code, which calls for regulation of content shown by private television channels, has been under much debate as broadcasters see it as a move by the Government to control their programs. To know more about the association and its duties you can go to the following link:

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080062636

My best section in it is the “Viewer feedback” which states “All News Channels will on their website, create provision to receive consumer feedback. Further any specific viewer complaints will be responded to. In the event any news channel gets a specific complaint if found to be true it will admit to the same on air and will respond in fullness and fairness to the viewer. In the event, a viewer/body perceives prejudice by any specific report carried by the News channel, it will respond in fullness and without impartiality to the viewer.”

However, they will come into action only from October 2nd, 2008. Till that time do we have to bear all this nonsense and scratch our heads? Along with that, we don’t know how effective they would be. And what are the chances that there will be no corruption in that department and they will genuinely look into the complaints and take appropriate actions? Will they check each and every report before broadcasting it? If not then what is the use of taking an action once the news has been broadcasted? An action after the damage is done? Well, all these questions are premature, though important. If NBA has decided to make an authority then they should also not hesitate in taking an unbiased action. Currently, apart from the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, and the program and advertising code for Doordarshan and All India Radio, there are no separate laws governing broadcasters.

Enough is enough and we cannot bear anything that anyone throws upon us. We need to unite, raise our voice and take a firm action against these so called media channels that are so childish that they have not yet understood their responsibility. This is surely not what we call journalism. Are our aspiring journalists learning this in their mass communication courses? And above all, are we paying for this shit?