Dear Yashwant ji, There are numerous posts on your portal regarding bihar Govt’s hidden agenda of curbing independence of media using various coercive methods. Needless to say, advertising is the supermost reasons of all why the media willingly or unwillingly shy away from its duties.In my limited understanding, I have to make few points on this important issue.
First and foremost is that we ,generally, do not witness a big debate on this issue in public.The readers of a news paper or citizens deserve to know that their elected govt is upto which discourses to curb the truth.Why the newspaper or TV channel in question shying away to say or hint the truth? I appreciated CNN IBN when it disclosed that BJP had boycotted them when it didn’t air cash-for- votes sting.
Secondly, Why don’t media start boycotting such politcal parties, Corporate houses or Govts’ PC which took actions to curb media freedom.Today, Media houses can galvanise people by initiating campaign on Indo Pak friendship, Cricket , corruption and other social causes. They can make a call to its readers to oppose such actions by govt/ corporate ‘s. Media rather start negotiating and submit to mighties.
Thirdly, Why Media shouldn’t deliberate the root causes of such arm-twist methodology. Isn’t it the over-ambition to be largest media house in the country or in the world per se. They have turned the noble profession/institution into money making machinery. A publication house or electronic channel is more worried about its numbers in share market than its readers and contents.
Fourthly, the journalist are more to be held accountable for. They shift the blame on owners but they are corrupt themselves.We all know how much salaries do editorial staff desire to.Big media houses (barring a few) pay good. Marketing, Circulation, Production are frontrunners in the race because they earn revenue. Where would the money come from? Probably, professionals at media must curb their desires, lifestyles or greed in order to help their repsective organisation to carry on with the noble job.
And last but not the least, I would urge you to look into similar practices regularly being practised by UP Govt. Times of India, Amar ujala, Indian Express, Rashtriya sahara ( Saharas do the same as well), Dainik Jagran etc. — All have been victim of similar coercive actions. Though these are unwritten instructions,therefore, I don’t know how they could be challenged. But is happening time and again.Reports suggest that press reporters from national stature newspapers/news channels also find it very difficult to get access to secretariat.
May be we should initiate another debate – Why do the state must have the powers to recognise or de-recognise a Journalist or newspaper? Think….
A concerned citizen
