Indian Electronic Media Needs to Introspect

-

The biggest misfortune today in India is not hunger, poverty, unemployment or lack of development but it is when problems like such remain unaddressed. While on the one hand a gigantic percentage of poor people live on the streets and in pathetic conditions, the so called Indian media is busy with promoting cricket and bollywood celebrities. News like “Big boss Amitab Bachan is suffering from severe fever, dandruff has attacked Shilpa’s hair, Ashwariya has given birth to a baby girl and Sachin is back” remain the breaking headlines in Indian media leaving aside all socio-economic issues of the country.

Instead of a watch dog, the media has turned out to be a mouthpiece of few chosen people (less than 1% of total population). The way it performs its services is enough to prove that this particular industry is simply there to make money. If sharukh khan cuts the cake, it will be shown as the breaking news but if a poor man dies of hunger, it will not be even condemned. If katrina has not joined salman khan’s birthday party, it will be shown as a breaking news but if a farmer suicides, it will not be even castigated. If sehwag makes a mistake during a game, it will be broadcasted for days together but if a politician is involved in a scandal, it will not be even reported. 

What bothers me most is when such needless information is broadcasted time and again. Although media is often considered as a mirror of the society with an aim to update, educate and amuse the people but unfortunately it has solely become the voice of bollywood and cricket celebrities. It gives us the feeling as if there is no definition of social responsibility in the Indian media and every time we switch on our television, we see the breaking news of cricket and bollywood stars. This shows that the Indian media has nothing to do in the matter of socio-economic problems. 

According to the latest report by Global Hunger Index (GHI) published in 2011, India holds 45th rank among countries with hunger crisis. Besides, a study by the Oxford Poverty and Human Devlopment Initiative in which it was found that there were 650 million people (53.8% of population) who live below poverty line in India, of which 340 million people (28.7% of the population) live in severe condition. In addition, the UNICEF report of 2011 shows that, one in three malnourished children globally are found in India. But i firmly believe that India is not a poor country and it is only the Indian who could be seen as poor. You may be surprised of my argument but it is the fact. If you are aware of the recent scams in India you will find the answer. 

The 2G scam involved a staggering amount of Rs. 176,000 (cr), common wealth scam-Rs 36,000 (cr), satyam scam 14000 (cr), investment scam in kerala-1000 (cr), education scam in Maharashtra 1000 (cr) etc. In short, scams in India have gained massive proportions with one after the other and there are chances that even a mathematician could do a mistake to convert these huge amounts into billion figures. 

Now imagine if such scandals would not have happened, and if such money would have been allocated into priority sectors, the story of India would have been different. The country would have not top the list with the highest number of child labourers in the world. Besides there would have not been a growing rate of unemployment causing frustration to the youth. It is reported that more than forty million people in India are still unemployed. On the one hand, crime rate is increasing steadily and on the other hand inflation has become the worst nightmare for a common consumer. The poor are dying on the streets due to starvation and due to severe chill of winters and the burning heat of summers. 

A considerable population of rural India is still living without basic necessities of life such as electricity, water supply and sanitation facilities. Farmers continue to commit suicides and the so called untouchability menace is still seen in India. The media is making hue and cry for no reasons. They highlight the things which are of no significance and value. It looks like as if the Indian media is corrupt and misuses its right of freedom of speech. Those who are left behind constitute more the 99% of total population.

The responsibility of any media is to make admistration responsive to the requirements of citizens and to help the nation to grow. However, time is not too late. The Indian media can still make the things good and it can separate its core responsibilities from business and politics. Although earning money is important but earning money should not be the legitimate goal. 

The media industry must stand as a responsible pillar in the community and it must learn to respect the needs of the society as a whole. It should wake up from a deep slumber to change the fate and fortune of their nation. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Drug Debate: Who's to Blame?

-
A few years ago, I attended a workshop on drug de-addiction that was organised by the Department of Psychiatry at SMHS Hospital and J&K Higher Education. The final session was extremely painful. A tall man with curly hair who had a long history of drug abuse was presented to us. In his words, 'I am 28 years old residing in srinagar. I completed my schooling at a reputed school. Things were not going my way. Nearly three years ago, my girlfriend broke up with me  and it went beyond what I could tolerate. My chest swelled with waves of sadness. I was feeling as if my world was falling apart. I lost my enthusiasm for life. I indulged in smoking and went on to consume cannabis. My life began to spiral out of control when I started taking brown sugar. During the course of six months, I spent around 12 lac rupees on advanced drugs. I think I have wasted 28 years of my life'.  The best thing in his short speech was the realisation that he had made a mistake. God knows better if t...
Read more

A Journey to South India

-
What I had learnt in my eight years at Tamil Nadu, I could have never learned in my twenty years at Kashmir.  If I recall my memory, it was 3rd August 2009 when I landed at Chennai airport for the first time for my MPhil registration at Pondicherry Central University. As soon I came out from the airport, I began asking everyone from pedestrians to cab drivers to street vendors that ‘Bhai sahib Pondicherry bus kahan se mile ge’ but to my hard luck none of them could understand my words. I stood for one hour at the road side looking for possible help. In the meantime, I saw a running auto without passengers and like a bat out of hell, I waved at the driver. How to go to Pondicherry University? I asked him to which he replied 'Bus Stand'? No! Pondicherry University I repeated. If I quote his words exactly, he said ‘Pondicherry-aaa, going bus stand wokay, three hour journey, Pondicherry bus YAC, non YAC yavailable'. I sat in his auto and for the entire 30 minutes or so, I enjoy...
Read more

Those were the days

-
Gone are the days when our forefathers used to live together as a society.  No doubt, there was poverty, scarcity and complexity but there was a beauty in life and pleasure among all. There were few privileges to enjoy, yet life was complete, meaningful and nourishing. There was care and concern, love and affection, proximity and the true bonding. Teachers were praiseworthy and schools were truly nucleus of learning. Furniture’s were alluring and houses were economical. Despite wars, tranquility prevailed earlier. There was trust. There was hope. There was illiteracy but more wisdom, less technology but more comfort, less schools but more scholars, less inputs but more productivity. Craftsmanship was worthier and vessels were flawless. Disputes were promptly sorted out and courts had fairly less business. Production was meant for survival and the cattle farming were familiar. Agriculture was the priority and chasing profits were tertiary. Trees were all around, with birds on ...
Read more