SABARI GANESH

Journalism is a serious job accompanied with accountability towards the nation as well as risks in the process of reporting to the nation.

Fifteen years ago news to me was Doordarshan or ETV news which my father used to watch. That day, an irritated child in me was not interested to watch news and my sister and I shouted at him to change the news channel. But today it changed. News channels started shouting at us.

Every time I switch to a news channel be it either Telugu or English, Breaking news will be flashing all the time. How come news would be breaking all the time? Our Indian media houses are overacting in the disguise of reporting.

Recent devastating earth quake in Nepal witnessed huge loss of property there. A pounding responsibility was bestowed upon the Indian media who accompanied our army with their helicopters and landed on the ruins in Nepal. They competed with each other to break the news to their Indian viewers. Few days later there were lambasting comments against Indian media from Nepalis for overacting and over reporting the disaster. They were frustrated by the nuisance created by the Indian news reporters.

This is not one instance where they behaved irresponsible. The live coverage of 2008 September attacks in Mumbai helped terrorists to come to know of whats happening outside the Taj hotel. Their enthusiasm payed a huge price. They create nonsense news, they alter the public perception of an issue with half baked reports. Analyzing and researching are Greek and Latin to them. They intimidate politicians. Useless issues are made sensational and useful issues are buried. They do not follow few ethical principles. They think that they are informing the society well but only few know that they are polluting our minds. When these news channels do not have any news to report they create news and most of times they break the same breaking news again and again trolling its viewers but not informing them about the happenings around the world. They virtually plant ideas in our minds. They are doing more harm than good. An incorrect news is better not to be reported.

Journalism is a serious job accompanied with accountability towards the nation as well as risks in the course of reporting to the nation. We should not forget the role played by newspapers in radicalizing and mobilizing the people to support the struggle for Independence. Patriotism and nationalism were huge thrusts for their survival but now money is Indian media’s survival. It has become a business. Even if they do business it is agreed since they have to survive. But doing that business in unethical manner and damaging the country’s social fabric is not at all acceptable.

Some newspapers are more concerned about Bollywood actresses cleavage. Some news channels have debates where no point is made rather shouting and scoldings against each other. And there is one variety news channel where its Chief Editor conducts a debate where none of the participants are allowed to express their complete ideas. He always strives to gave the nation an answer and mocks himself in social media.

Even today it is better to watch Doordarshan news. And coming to newspaper, it is good to have a copy of The Hindu in the morning and not a TOIlet paper with an exclusive third page.