The flurry of scams bestowed upon the reigning Indian Government highlights not only the mess India is in, but also the power media enjoys in a democratic setup. The galvanization of masses under Anna Hazare, the helping role social media played to help Arab Revolution and the awareness of society regarding socio-economic setup in the country and around the world, counters to the argument of media controlling one’s independent thoughts. Rather, it’s the augmentation of one’s thoughts and public opinions, which the media has helped to build in the last few years.
India has come a long way from the times of Independence and emergency. While during the former, the British controlled how public opinions were formed, the latter emphasized a darker phase, where several leading Indian Newspapers, including Indian Express, faced the wrath of the India’s benevolent dictator, Mrs. Gandhi. Any word, against the government meant persecution. Soon after emergency was lifted, a revitalized Press Council of India was formed whose sole aim was to maintain and improve the standards of news papers and news agencies in the country. Indian media has grown leaps and bounds after the brief period of turmoil, and has become the biggest news market in the world, with over 100 million copies sold worldwide, and having more than 80 news channels. Leading Indian news papers like - The Hindu, The Times of India, etc. have become a platform where countrymen can voice their opinions, and contribute towards a holistic, independent thought making process that encourages healthy debates on various issues having political and economic ramifications. Magazines like Tehelka, and The Caravan, offer the readers an alternate take of events through the medium of investigative journalism. Such plethora of easily accessible information has given the citizens the impetus to be more responsible and participate actively in all community and government decisions.
Television and News media is indeed a tool for the aam aadmi to stay connected and up to date with the current affairs. Live studio debates by esteemed guests from politics, business, and sports; engage the audience to participate actively in expressing their view point. The recently televised interview of Mamata Banerjee on CNN-IBN, where she stormed out of the studio after accusing the audience, consisting mostly of students, to be Maoists cadre, was an unadulterated example of how media has encouraged citizens to give their views even if it clashes with the egos of political leaders and influential people. Radia tapes controversy was indeed a big blotch on the entire industry that turned the sceptics into cynics, and gave then the ammunition to target the big shots of media. After the supposed blackout by major news channels and newspapers on the personalities involved in the controversy, it was again, the will of the youth, along with the power of social media, which led to the tacit admission by The Times of India, on the increasing role social media sites, like twitter and Facebook, are playing in expressing public opinions.
Satyamev Jayate, on the lines of The Oprah Winfrey Show, was ubiquitously appraised, as it had the vision to inspire the dormant middle class, and without imposing, ask them to think about the prevalent evils in society. Cinema too, is ladened with social movies (Rang De Basanti, Maachis, Salaam Bombay, etc.) that challenge the intelligence of its audience and stimulate the brains for thinking what can be done to improve the status quo. In the advertising media, campaigns like Jago Re, by Tata Tea encouraged Indians to take well informed decisions on whom to vote and, more importantly, asking them to make use of their right to vote.
It is an undeniable truth that practices like, paid news; mass advertising, etc. still persist that preys on the naïve, and is a major hurdle on the cognitive thinking of the nation, the challenge lies in not only rooting out the corrupt, but to apply the maxim – knowledge only liberates. To achieve this goal, the part media plays in a democratic nation like ours, becomes vital.
