Harsha Kakar
Since the time the Kargil war and the Mumbai terror strikes were brought into the living room, live on TV, the impact of visual media on an average Indian, has been on the rise. For most of us, the day starts with the daily newspaper. Hence it is the media, print and visual which indirectly firms our opinion on various Government personalities and policies. The media on the other hand, survives on sales and viewership. Hence the more sensationalized the news (important or not, is a mute question), the more it is critically examined.The more the TRP, the greater the revenue from advertising, essential for visual media. The internet age has also witnessed mushrooming of online media houses, presenting news updates and commentaries, as events happen, surviving on online advertising revenue.
The views being projected by any media house depends on ownership and political leaning of those who matter in its hierarchy. If the owners or main personalities are members or supporters of a political party or ideology, the media house would tend to support their view, directly or indirectly. A search on google would provide the leaning of each media establishment, based on its ownership, source of funding and political linkages. An individual’s views are reinforced when they observe their favourite news channels or read editorials in daily newspapers.
Recent months have witnessed opposing views across media on topics concerning Kashmir, Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), appointment of the army chief, buddy system in the army, JNU and Delhi University (DU) agitations,the nomination of Yogi Aditya Nath as the CM of UP and his anti-Romeo squads amongst others. In every case, discussions on TV and editorials tended to follow the leaning of the media house.
As an example, divergent views were projected on the recent DU and last year’s JNU agitation. Leftist and anti-BJP newspapers and channels openly criticized the Government for its actions, terming it as high handed, while those pro-Government supported the same. The expansion of protests from Delhi to other universities of the country,in both cases,was only due to the hype created by the media, which gave it more coverage than necessary.
The appointment of Yogi Aditya Nath as the Chief Minister of UP was widely debated in every form of media from the moment his name was announced. The individual was not even given time to take the oath of office, before anti-BJP press began ‘convicting’ him of crimes, which he was expected to commit during his tenure. The anti-Romeo squads nominated by him witnessed divergent views in vernacular and English dailies. While the English press criticized him, vernacular dailies (including Hindi versions of popular English newspapers) with a larger local base, praised his action. Another incident was the denouncement by one newspaper of the missing JNU student, Najeeb, as an ISIS sympathiser, later rejected by the Delhi Police. The concerned newspaper has yet to publish an apology on its erroneous reporting, while criticism by other opposing media houses continues.
The army has been facing the brunt of anti-Government media in recent times. The appointment of the army chief and his comments on handling the forced interference in anti-militant operations were openly criticized, however, none commented when it was proved that such actions has resulted in avoidable loss to security forces. Similarly, the buddy issue was raked beyond the normal, possibly to lower the prestige of the army in the nation’s eyes, as also drive a wedge between the leaders and the led. The suicide, post the sting video of an online magazine finally brought a halt to the maligning.
The media has repeatedly projected top military hierarchy as being responsible for all its ills, making them appear self-centred in the public eye, whereas they are just the opposite. The valley media is swift to criticize the army for any accidental deaths in encounters or anti-militancy operations, but fail to highlight its effective support in remote areas by conducting Sadbhavana projects and providing succour to the local population.
The protests at Jantar Mantar on OROP were initially covered, subsequently remains ignored. No media house has questioned the Government on the delay in the release of the seventh pay commission, since it is not sensational news. The only time when the media does show solidarity with the military is when respects are paid to martyrs. The bias of the media is becoming more pronounced by the day.
Is the press being biased, immature, solely seeking cheap brownie points or working to plans devised by agencies and Governments inimical to the nation, is difficult to establish. After all some visual media houses have foreign funding. It is also possible that since theyare rarelytaken to court for defamation, they become bolder by the day.To criticize political parties and decisions of the Government is understood, but to pronounce judgements on individuals heading states and institutions is another.
While political parties have the wherewithal and infrastructure to participate in debates and discussions and counter opposing views, institutions like the military don’t. A serving military individual has never come on TV to debate or question media criticism. Hence, the views before the audience is just one-sided and hence harmful. Such reporting affects morale and dilutes the strong bonding existing across the rank and file as also lowers the image of the only apolitical organization of the nation.In fact, the one nation which smiles with glee when the media resorts to military bashing and degrading is Pakistan, as the military there has never faced criticism.
It appears that media opinion, centres around the logic that negative reporting implies sensational news. The same is far from the truth. Positive reporting enhances trust and belief in systems and organizations, which is essential in a democracy. The military on its part, does not seek any special privileges but just and fair reporting, projecting its highlights and failures in equal measure and not just its shortcomings.
(The author is a retired Major General of the Indian Army)
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