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INTRODUCTION India’s first newspaper, the Bengal Gazette, appeared in Calcutta on January 29, 1780, an occasion now celebrated nationally as Newspaper Day. The transformation in the India media scene in the intervening 230 years, in keeping with the changes in the country as a whole, has been enormous. The communications revolution, television, economic liberalization and an expanding social base ushered in a new phase of media growth.. The media today wields immense power, shaping the national agenda.
While there are admittedly fine journalists and some excellent writing, there is a lot of conjecture in place of fact and lazy journalism marked by shallow writing, inadequate research, ignorance of background and context. Are your eyes weary of the staggering billboards across every corner in the city? You might get dizzy over those topsy-turvy rows of pawnshops, dress shops, bakery and stalls competing for consumers’ attention with their different styles and propriety presentations along the highways.
Most of the ads are propagandas of multinational companies ranging from clothing lines, fast food chains and the enticing perfumes among others. Some find them okay because they’re big fan of the endorsers. Others will question, “Why are those people endorsing those products”. After a long day at school, you rush going home and go to your room switch on the radio and let yourself be serenaded by the songs. You might not notice, but the radio ads consume almost half of the programs. Few ads might be informative and others are just dangling and irritating.
You might want to switch on the TV afterwards to watch your favorite soap operas. With the very dramatic scene you’re watching, you can’t help but cry or laugh if the scene is hilarious. Sometimes you feel like your in love again after witnessing an intimate setting with the actors. Have you tried buying toothpaste and you were confused what to buy? After a minute you decided to buy a particular brand with the reason “this is quite cheaper” than the other. Without noticing, most of us experience this routine. This is just a slice of our daily life but oftentimes we fail to recognize what is its significance.
Everything is powered by media in this modern age from the moment you wake up until you sleep at night. Have you ever asked yourself how all of this affects your reasoning, your power to choose and your lifestyle? Boon Media plays a significant role in our society today. It is all around us, from the shows we watch on television, the music we listen to on the radio, to the books and magazines we read each day. Television more so that any of the other medias achieves a myriad of different goals. These goals range from entertaining to educating. Various confines of education and entertainment are depicted in television.
For the most part the television is found to be very entertaining. People watch television shows they enjoy and find entertaining. Television is often looked at as a babysitter for children. The viewing of television can entertain the young and old alike for great amounts of time. Along with entertaining, the media is used to inform society. Days are often started by the listening of the news on the morning television, judging the latest updates on the local traffic jams. Days are often concluded with the watching of the late night news on television, keeping us informed of the world and the events occurring around us. urtain lifting to 21st century, we all have entered a new era where information transfer is faster than wind and even faster than speed of light. The credit goes to development in the sectors of data transmission, computers and digital processing that has made information transfer so easy and reliable. Now we can see live telecast of Iraq war, any sports around the world or any similar incident sitting at home. It does not stop here, we have internet now a days that proves equally good in terms of reliable information transfer for those in particular who are not able to spare time for the idiot box.
Now-a-days, it is difficult for anyone to remain abstained from the news around the world with media coverage entering into normal life of the people. Starting from radios, television, newspapers, magazines, not it has come to online news. The scope is so large that accessing any news, may it be on politics, sports, film industry or administration is a matter of few minutes for anyone. The media has played the important role of spreading important messages in tough times, for example – a)It has warned people well in advance regarding any natural calamities. )It has proved very useful in educating people regarding Aids, Polio, Malaria and other diseases that people have a wrong notion By using Stratergies in which they use Film stars and crickters in bringing awareness as most of the fans will follow what their icon says as we see Amitabh bringing awareness abt Polio Drops and The entire Indain cricket team trying to bring awareness on HIV etc. , as it is more appealing. Since every individual depends on some media or the other for the latest News and updates this is the best way to bring awareness in the society. )The administration gains a lot as it is able to spread urgent messages of criminals, wrong deeds, alerting people about them and advising steps to defend themselves. In many occasions, the media has helped a lot in finding mission people, thieves etc. d)Another important sector is the child education, where children are taught values of life by easy means. The newspapers especially have contributed significantly towards educating people with values of science, English and more importantly general knowledge.
Anyone following newspapers regularly is bound to have a good knowledge of the world as well as good English grasp. e)History knows in how many situations, the media has proved helpful in uniting people against any ill subject or matter of concern. f)Media also plays a crucial role in shaping a healthy democracy. It is the backbone of a democracy. Media makes us aware of various social, political and economical activities happening around the world. It is like a mirror, which shows us or strives to show us the bare truth and harsh realities of life.
The media also exposes loopholes in the democratic system, which ultimately helps government in filling the vacuums of loopholes and making a system more accountable, responsive and citizen-friendly. A democracy without media is like a vehicle without wheels. g)The media has undoubtedly evolved and become more active over the years. It is the media only who reminds politicians about their unfulfilled promises at the time of elections. T. V news channels excessive coverage during elections helps people, especially illiterates, in electing the right person to the power.
This reminder compels politicians to be upto their promises in order to remain in power. h)Television and radio have made a significant achievement in educating rural illiterate masses in making them aware of all the events in their language. Coverage of exploitative malpractices of village heads and moneylenders has helped in taking stringent actions against them by attracting government’s attention. i)In the age of information technology we are bombarded with information. We get the pulse of the world events with just a click of a mouse. The flow of information has increased manifolds.
The perfect blend of technology and human resources (journalist) has not left a single stone unturned in unearthing rampant corruption in politics and society. We all are well aware of what tehelka did. Thanks to technology that has brought a kind of revolution in journalism. The list is practically endless, however there are certain aspects where the media reaction makes it a bane for us. Due to rising competition and urge to survive in this complicated world, even the media has to adopt some unprofessional steps that are against its ethics.
There are innumerable situations where media has unnecessarily hyped some silly matters just to bring it into notice while they ignore important news. Just for sake of money, publicity and sponsorships, the media often tends to make a mess of things which often brings in a bad image. but comparing them with the good deeds and its contribution to the development of the nation, we can firmly say that media has proved to be a boon to our country. | | Bane I??WOULD??like you to take the following quiz: How many of the following news stories have you personally heard of?
Two Hindu priests were dragged out of a temple in Jammu and beheaded by suspected Islamic terrorists. There was a conference in New Delhi on the preservation of diversity in religion, which was attended by luminaries such as the Dalai Lama. A Hindu Bangladeshi professor, a college principal in Chittagong and a prominent freedom fighter, were shot dead during the genocide against Hindus in that country. The Konkan Railway, the first major railway project in India since Independence, has been a major success despite the difficult terrain and the logistics nightmares.
If you recall seeing more than Two of the above, I would withdraw from speaking against the motion MEDIA BOON OR BANE. I think the media is in the hands of a cabal of vested interests; If there is anything positive and good happening, you certainly won’t find it?? What we find is Kashmir is finally being ‘Talebanised’. Publicity is like oxygen for the terrorists. Without the media, they cannot claim credit for their actions. The publicity attending their violence gives their cause visibility and also helps them in extortion by creating a climate of fear. Then how can we forget glamorization of criminals!
The famous Big B in many of his films sweeping all before him. DON! Now replayed by Shahrukh! Violence in society exists, but the media ‘glamourised’ it. In the 1990s and the 21st century, the terrorist/militant seems to have replaced the smuggler as the object of glamour and commercialisation. Electronic media ??? with its pester-power ??? has increased peer pressure on the children. They don’t always have reasoned decisions for themselves. Advertisers have become mind-benders, entering their minds just as a knife pierces butter. More than quarter of the population of India is below the age of 14.
They are the advertiser’s gun sights. Short concentrated bursts are presented to catch them young as consumers for life. As a result, their attitudes are changing. They have begun to associate happiness with acquisition. In addition, the electronic media has generated a mushroom-growth of neo-illiterates who are fast forgetting to read and write because of their heavy dependence on visuals. Talking of commercialisation, even the motherhood is being commercialised with a craze for ‘rent-a-womb’. Cigarettes and soft drinks have reached the remotest villages, while clean drinking water and electricity have not.
With modern technology, reality is being manufactured. People are manipulated into believing something. Age of great belief-makers is ending. Era of make-believe is beginning. Facts often fall into the shredder. With live electronic video-manipulation, information can be bent out of shape. The viewer may be virtually duped. American flag was shown fluttering on moon. Somebody questioned how can it flutter when there is no wind on the atmosphere-free moon. Virtual insertion technology (VIT) can show Saddam Hussain addressing American senators in the USA. Ananova has already taken over as a cyber newsreader two years ago.
Shrewd politicians have learnt the art of abdicating in favour of their image or mukhauta. They realise that the image in the long run will prove to be more powerful than they could ever become. Electronic lobbying has grown and even degenerated to such an extent that thousands of fake persuaders lately succeeded in getting even a published research paper retracted by a famous journal. The race to get the best shots for electronic media has become formidable indeed. It is common to see a large number of frenzied TV cameramen, surrounding a ‘prey’ in a top event, not unlike an amoeba. have u all been hru Noida murder case the famous aarushi hatyakaand… his innocent dad suffrd due to media reports Anyone here have heard arushi’s neighbours???? thy told- media was the worst thing haapen 2 thm thy must not have existed!!!. In such tragic situations, some of the cameramen have been called “birds that sit on tombstones. ” Any way, we the Indians must be well aware of the trial by media through aggressive coverage of specific stories and through some vested as well as titillating Sting Operations. No doubt, even Supreme Court of India could not remain a mute spectator and had to intervene.
And it was just a month back that it decreed ??? There is a need to restore balance between free speech and fair trial and for that there appears a need to rein in the trial by media. How well phrased! I just hope media learns to draw the line lest it feels gagged and finds no way out. “The mass media has immersed us in violence as well, habituated us to the most extreme brutality, held it up as a model and surrounded us by images of hateful terrorists. The media has influenced young children into thinking that violence is acceptable.
Children learn acceptable codes of conduct by imitating their mentors and others, such as celebrities that they look up to. Society needs to set a good example for children so that they can build bright futures for themselves. “Self ??? regulation is one option media must enforce lest the only answer remains governmental regulation, if necessary prior to publication???that is, censorship- till then Media is a bane. A neat comparison can be made between a deft surgery and some of the electronic media presentations, particularly covering a programme.
While a good surgeon chooses a minimal incision, a channel may show the worst to grab maximal viewer-attention. While the first quickly stitches the wound, the latter may leave it open and ‘un-stitched’ for ever. Lastly, a surgeon strives for quick healing of the wounds, while an electronic media may leave several festering sores for social agony. Photography in high profile disasters is said to have led to tragedies too. While helicopters were liberally used, both for live media-coverage and for rescuing those precariously perched on trees during floods in Muzambique, a few victims ossibly blew away by the power of the wind produced by the rotor blades. They would otherwise have been saved. Electronic media has woven global industries around icons. Bizarre sights of star-syndrome are flashed out often, and images of stars haunt the weak viewers for crazy acts, even including suicides. It is harmful for the growth of creativity. Twilight of icons is the real dawn of freedom. Media ws doin a good work 5 years back. Nw thy r just counting money!! and nw whn u switch on ur TV for news.. thy r showing dumb ass kind of programs.. ig boss,and mny more saas bahu serials wt crap is this?? Solution: Our society should immediately begin resolving some of the most serious problems created by electronic media ??? increased violence and obscenity, unbearable consumerism and greed, cultural erosion, rising intolerance and insensitivity, monopolisation and twisting of facts, mushroom-growth of neo-illiterates addicted to visuals and fall in levels of creativity. Let there be no doubt that the gleam, glitter and power of the digital wonderland will continue to increase in the prevailing ‘open sky’ era.
The developed countries will multiply and strengthen their ‘e-muscles’ to flood the developing countries with their own economic, educational and cultural models. Under the circumstances, what should we do? A straight one-point solution is not possible, because of our immense socio-economic-cultural diversity. We live in a time-warp with patterns of several centuries visible all around. We have an immense undifferentiated mass of humanity living in the vast hinterland. Therefore, autocratic cultural policing will not work. It would add to the disorder and chaos.
Jamming of a few broadcasts by knee-jerk reflexes will also not serve our purpose fully. Healthy regulatory norms will have to be formulated after broad-based, prolonged open public debates and dialogues at various levels. As short-term measures, a three-pronged strategy can immediately be adopted. An autonomous body should initiate self-introspection and auto regulation by the electronic media itself. The media must continue to remain on the fore-front. It should be more alert, alive, kicking, fair, non-aligned and responsible in its telecasts. At a second tier, an aware citizens group can collect iewer-feedbacks and monitor the telecasts regularly at the regional levels. Lastly, the government may provide an overall control, protecting the national interests. For long-term solutions, we will have to bank upon the educational institutions. Nature has equipped the next generation with better genomic inputs. We should educate, train, groom and prepare the youth to be more discerning viewers rather than passive spectators or participants. We will have to develop better learning environment there so that our students may learn the art, science and technology to take good decisions with an open and analytical mind.
The institutions should strive to use all the modern media-tools for faster flow of useful information and elucidation of knowledge. We should have more emphasis on stress-management, job-oriented training and conflict-resolution so that our youth may develop a holistic personality. Then alone, they will not only save themselves from the mighty octopus-grips of the electronic media or its aberrations like duping, but will also become our true future leaders for better and balanced media-growth and faster national development. Concluding lines
Media is a boon if it is socially responsible, unbiased, non political, informative & educative to the masses but not to the class alone. But it is a bane if it carries information or coverage to sensationalise, create curiosity among the public at the cost of some one’s reputation. Since media influences the minds of the people who read or view what is been published, so its important for the publishers ; publication to be careful ; cautious in handling the inputs they get from their reporters. “Do what you can, for who you can, with what you have, and where you are”.