Role of Media and reality of media is always the point of debate and people in general do not like the way media act and respond to ground realities in the country.
Just like normal individuals, groups and political parties in India, Media is also not performing without prejudices and without having preferences .Most of TV channels and most of the print media focuses on demerits of BJP and treat the party as anti-national whereas parties like RJD, LSP, SP, Congress party or left parties or BSP which have plenty of controversial members and which has not performed anywhere in the country are praised and treated as secular. Good woks done by Gujarat CM Narendra Modi , Bihar CM Nitish Kumar , Delhi CM Shiela Dikchit, HP CM Mr. Raman and so on get very little coverage whereas dress of Priyanka Gandhi on polling day (7th May 2009) got full day coverage by TV channel . Major point of focus or of consideration for media in general is seldom the interest of the country but more often than not the petty issues of communalism or secularism or small incidents of crime and accident or acts of film or cricket celebrities.
Congress party ruled this country for more than thirty years at a stretch after freedom and there was no alternative in vision till the time movement of Jai Prakash Narayan succeeded in bringing together all anti-congress party .At that time, anti-congress wave was blowing like cyclone in the country and at that time too media used to praise Indira and Rajiv Gandhi and this is why only available TV channel called as Doordarshan was considered as Indira Darshan.
During last three decades there have been so many upheavals and change of guards at the center. India has seen government formed by party without majority, India has experienced period of coalition government and frequent change of loyalty by antagonist of Congress party and supporters of Congress party. But media's focus remained mostly on ruling party whosoever it may be. When Lalu was in power in the state of Bihar, media used to sing the songs of Lalu only. Now they sing the song of Sonia Gandhi and Manmiohan Singh.
After all media is also made of individuals. They as normal human being have also inclination to go closer to powerful lobbies and they too have lust to earn more and more money, more and more name and fame and establish their effectiveness in the society by means of money and by having attractive and valuable assets. There are very few journalists (say negligible) who play true role of media and focus on real difficulties faced by common man and highlight without fear the corrupt practices perpetuated, irrigated and promoted by VIP’s in the country.
This is why people of India have taken corrupt practices, administrative tortures and anti-national activities as God gift. It is an open secret that honest , meritorious and sincere officers in the government offices are rejected and posted in jungles and critical areas whereas those who flatter their bosses and earn money by illegal sources are promoted and posted at top and effective and creamy places. This stinking culture is making our fate and the image of our beloved country portrayed by gang of such corrupt persons in the international area is very much disheartening. Unfortunately media has also failed to change this trend.
However it is also undoubtedly true that media has the power and the capacity to change the fate of the country, and it is they and they only who can ensure victory for any political party and it is they who can make or mar the image of the country because media is wide pervasive and it can reach every nook and corner of the country to spread the good message or to spread virus.
Danendra Agartala
8th May 2009
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