Covid-19- Do they remember the times media had in 1975 Emergency?

Whatever be the crisis, the Indian media has always to play a major role, not only in giving the information but also fearing the viewers, the readers. How can the spread of coronavirus case be different? India alone last week has reported more than 16 lakh cases. Yes, we all know this. But do we know the that more than 12 lakh people have cured and are safe now?

 

The media reporting in the time of crisis is all about headlines and grabbing a spoon to increase the viewership of the media house. Then the orgenisation fails to, rather choses not to report the positive outcomes. This is to cater the unseen unwarranted curiosity demand by the viewers, seen as a big opportunity by the media houses.

 

 

Agreed, India is a democratic country and there exists freedom of speech here. But does that give freedom to media houses to abuse, assault the government? The Indian government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left no stones unturned to tackle the Corona virus crisis, be it sanitation, be it food, be it working on the mission to get back all the stranded people safe back in India. And what did the media report. "India sees increased number of COVID cases in the rule of BJP government", "Modi's COVID-19 policies make clear that in India some lives matter more than others", and more alike!

 

Is this what they call having freedom of speech? Demeaning the government, deregarding its policies, humiliating the good work is what most of the media org are busy doing and this is how they think are getting a fair amount of traction. But why do they fail to notice that the same is pushing down them while on the way to build themselves as 'unbiased' or a 'neutral' media hub?

 

'PM Modi' and the 'BJP government has suppressed the media voice, some national and international journalists say. Do you remember the media position in the age of Emergency. Back in year 1975, all the media houses reporting against the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the Congress Government were put behind the bars, were forced to shut the media machines and compelled the journalists to hind underground save their lives.

 

India, today is passing through uncertain times and with the growing use of social media, internet, there are a lot of fake messages, information being spread. The Modi government approached the Supreme Court in an attempt to prevent fake and inaccurate reporting whether intended or not which could cause panic in the society. It still remains to wonder how the government’s move raises an issue 'worth' discussing- In a time of fear and foreboding, might it make sense to rein in journalists?

 

That the idea of the media as a lapdog rather than a watchdog would appeal to those in opposition should come as no surprise. But in these uncertain times this appears to appeal to many ordinary Indians as well. In the public imagination, journalism as a profession seems to have lost much of its moral sheen. This impulse may be explicable, but it’s also incredibly foolish. At the moment, Indians should not worry that journalists are too pesky, but that they aren’t pesky enough. In a democracy, the best way to solve a problem is to raise questions and not make noise! When you silence the media you silence the noise that leads to problems and not the questions! See the difference, understand!

 

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