It is presumptuous for a never-has-been belonging to a has-been era of journalism to intervene in the media debate raging in the press. Nevertheless, ...
The debate has focused mostly on the proprietor-editor relationship, news-ads relationship, circulation-credibility relationship and profit-integrity relationship. Distinguished editors have shed light on how newspapers are run today. But the larger picture was not addressed.
The media is a single window providing information to the people. Public opinion is formed on the basis of this information. That's why editors lead people. News overplayed or underplayed inevitably gives public opinion its shape.
Politicians should lead society. But they stopped leading it long ago. They allow voters to lead them. The change occurred during Kennedy's election in 1960. For the first time, with computerised efficiency, market surveys told candidates who the public would be voting for. The candidates adjusted themselves accordingly. That is how the leader emerged as an "organization man". He became a member in a market-driven team. Contrast this with Churchill, Roosevelt, De Gaulle and Gandhi—all sticking to passionate beliefs and persuading people to accept them.
The media ceased to lead when it transformed itself from a public service to an industry. Editors and managers argue that they must cater to the interests of their readers. True. But should they not cater to the interests of society as well?
The total readership of Indian newspapers in all languages is 180 million. 33.6 million households watch television. That's less than 20 per cent of the population. Eighty per cent do not have access to either print or the electronic media. They're out of the system. Do they know or care whether Saurav Ganguly should open or not? More important, does the media know what the 80 per cent actually do know or care about? Such alienation is dangerous. We sit on a powder keg, devouring Page 3.
There is also the question of professional integrity. During elections, some reporters are known to charge candidates money for reporting their speeches or publishing their photographs. Don't editors and proprietors know this? Reporters will do such things only when proprietors and editors lose moral authority. Moral authority is lost when conduct is compromised. Indian politics has already collapsed. It would be tragic if the media collapses too.
Selling news space
Or selling your soul,
In either case
You lose your role!