Who needs media in New India?

Source: The post is based on an article “Who needs media in New India?” published in the Indian Express on 6^th August 2022.

Syllabus: GS 3 Role of Media and Social Networking Sites in Internal Security Challenges etc.

Relevance: Role of Media; Media Freedom

News: The government has ordered the Indian Women’s Press Corps(IWPC) to vacate its premises, a 27-year-old institution.

The IWPC was allowed to retain the building based on the Parliament resolution which was passed to express solidarity with the institution. IWPC was allowed to retain the premises, two decades ago, as it had an important role in our democracy.

Role of Media

The media is the fourth pillar and a co-stakeholder in our democracy. Media play’s role in guarding against elected representatives and bureaucrats exercising unfettered power and misusing the system.

How government’s engagement with media has been changing lately?

The long-established tradition of sharing information with journalists is slowly fading in many spheres. Rather, the idea is to maintain a distance and the government will provide its data and findings.

The Central Hall in Parliament is now out of bounds for senior journalists. Journalist has been banned since Coronavirus. Further, in the new Parliament building plan of the government, there is no provision for a Central Hall, where correspondents could exchange notes with MPs.

The media’s presence in Parliament House has also been drastically reduced. For example, media organisations are now permitted to send only one accredited parliamentary correspondent to cover the Lok Sabha. Further, the number of days for coverage per week is also restricted for journalists.

Further, correspondents with the Press Information Bureau (PIB) cards are no longer permitted automatic access to the North and South Block secretariats. The meeting can be made with a prior appointment.

Similarly, photographers are not allowed to cover functions in the Durbar and Ashoka Halls and investiture ceremonies in Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The government also ended the practice of taking newspersons on the Prime Minister’s flight. Similarly, the only official media is allowed to be on board the president’s and vice president’s flights.

There have been few incidents in which the Enforcement Directorates has raided media owners.

Issues in the functioning of media

Nowadays, the media does not take objective editorial stands on the ongoing issues in Indian politics. They allow spokespersons of different parties to freely express themselves on topical issues.

On television channel debates, people representing diametrically opposite views simply shout each other down without any attempt at a dialogue or rational argument.

What are the reasons for such a move?

Earlier governments followed the liberal approach that news persons act as a watchdog on politicians, bureaucracy and constitutional bodies.

However, in recent times, the government has adopted an authoritarian model. It has taken a dim view of the role of the media in a democracy.

What should be done?

India has a country that is large, diverse, and stratified, socially and economically. Therefore, such diversity should be represented in the form of a plurality of opinions in our mainstream television channels and newspapers.

To function freely, the media necessarily needs to remain in contact with those in authority, so that it is in a position to deduce the truth and obtain accurate information on issues of public importance.