Next to reading, I like to watch TV debates on important issues. In fact, some of my short articles (rather brainstorms) are based on such debates. (now I completely stopped even watching any such debates both on TV or mobile, except rare ones). But since the last few months, I have almost lost interest in watching such debates, particularly in CNN-IBN and NDTV on several issues related to our National interest like security, terrorism, Naxalite, Leadership crisis, Disaster management etc.
Sometimes, it is better to just watch the news and do some other meaningful work than spending time by watching and listening to such debates. Because the same kinds of questions are asked by the anchors and the same kind of answers are given by the panellists. Of course, as the problem/challenge and the solution remain the same, the question and answers too remain the same. But sometimes if the panellists come from outside political affiliation, then we can hear some alternative and new approach to the unchanging problems/challenges. But when the Politicians are there in the panel, they are going to give the same kind of rhetoric answer to the same kind of rhetorical questions by the anchors. So I become tired of such media rhetoric and use my time more usefully. Of course, this is not going to bring any change in the media, but I thank God not for the person who invented TV but the remote control where I can change the channels.
Media rhetoric is the statement ‘we are the first to give this report’. For example, after the recent flood fury hit Uttaranchal, the CNN-IBN reporter, giving a report from Kedarnath, said that ‘we are the first one to give this report directly from Kedarnath’. But interestingly, the NDTV reporter also said the same. But they think that we don’t know that reporters from these two and few more (hegemonic) channels, using their influence among the political parties (because of their media hegemony), could reach such remote places by the army helicopters to give the report. So where is the place for such a question ‘we are the first one to send this report’? If they are honest, they should say ‘we are the first one to twist the hands of the government by using our influence among the politicians to reach Kedarnath first.’
This is not media bashing—another media rhetoric when we question their integrity. For example, after the disaster within two days, both CNN-IBN and NDTV managed to get the precious time of the Uttaranchal Chief Minister Sri Bahuguna to give interviews to Karan Thapar (Devil’s advocate) and also Barka Datt. If the media were so serious about their responsibility—particularly in such a time of emergency, it should have left the CM to pay more attention to the rescue operation than wasting his time with such hegemony. For me, even if he took one hour of rest rather than wasting his time with such media, he could have better equipped himself to meet the challenges. I didn’t watch both the programs as they irritated me more by making the governments bend before their media hegemony. The politicians too have some fear about the media influence. How many more channels Bahuguna would give such an interview? And how many more reporters from other non-popular channels could have reached Kedarnath through the army helicopter? Only CNN-IBN and NDTV (and few such powerful media) managed even to interview top army personnel who are stationed at Joshimath to monitor the operations. Other small Medias cannot have such power to talk to them. Such media hegemony by such powerful channels is nothing but another kind of political blackmail—in the name of giving information to the public.
Now National TV—also joined in such rhetoric. When a DD National News reporter reached Gangotri, he also repeated the same rhetoric ‘we are the first one to give a live report from Gangotri’. Though they too succumb to the pressure by other medias, yet it is the only reliable channels for impartial news—except giving too much time to the spokesperson of the ruling party, often in their news (and thanks to the remote, I will switch the TV to some other channel and will come back after few minutes to watch other news in DD News).
The media often claim that they are the fifth pillar of democracy. But the way they conduct themselves—particularly the private channels like CNN-IBN and NDTV, often become a wall between the government/politicians and public to decide what kind of news we ought to get rather than what we need to get? But they should realize that unlike in the past where there were not many alternatives available to the public (like newspapers and few TV channels and Radio stations), now social media has finally become the deciding factor by giving space for every individual to depend on the printed or visual media.
So the media rhetoric now becomes a media menace.
Dayanand Bharati. June 26, 2013
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