Biased Media is a threat to democracy
When bureaucrat Shashi Tharoor said- “Freedom of the press is the mortar that
binds together the bricks of democracy- and it is also the open windows
embedded in those bricks”, he highlighted how integral media and press are for a
democracy to function. The case in point was the Indian democracy.
India boasts of being the largest country in the world. With a population of over
1.4 billion, this diverse land has fostered democracy since its independence in
1947. Each aspect of this country- Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary functions
as independent domains to maintain the standards of core democratic values.
After the three branches of the government(legislature, executive, and judiciary),
media is considered the fourth pillar of democracy. The press and media consist
of any forms and mediums of communication sharing such as news channels,
radio, newspapers, etc.
Lakhs of people still start their day with a cup of tea and a newspaper by their
side. For this reason, the media is entrusted with the huge responsibility of
intelligence and knowledge sharing of the day-to-day events of the world.
However, this responsibility has been misunderstood for power and this power
has been abused beyond reasonable thought.
Being the largest democracy does not come without a downside and in the case of
this country, multiple disadvantages. Rampant corruption is an unfortunate
reality in India mainly due to its sheer number of media houses we have. This
corruption extends to the media as well, which puts the reliability of the press, at
stake.
Biases in media exist because of the influence that politicians and other
prominent figures exercise in press media organizations. This issue is more
shameful because anybody with deep pockets ranging from an upper middle-class
person to someone in top-tier positions is involved. This makes the situation such
that biased media is often ignored and not even identified as an issue.
The gains of the media are multifold when they produce biased content because
(a) they can win the people's approval by catering the news which increases their
TRP and (b) they can also get themselves in the good books of powerful people.
Multiple media agencies have been accused of being aligned toward political
parties in power or their idelogies, big businessmen, important VIPs, etc.
However, the media in question and other people tend to ignore these
accusations about being biased. What we don't realize is that biased media is
detrimental not just to individuals but also a major threat to the country’s
democratic values and beliefs and its system as a whole.
The role of modern media is to educate the public about accurate and truthful
information enough to the point where they can frame their opinions about right
and wrong, the people that govern them, and the general ongoings of their
country. In such a sense, the media is not a method of communication but what
we can call an enabler of democracy.
The objective and essence of media has been sacrificed for want of
misinformation, biased news, and page 3 content. All forms of media must realize
the responsibility they have to make the people literate about the realities of the
world hence enabling them to make informed choices about, at a minimum level,
right and wrong in terms of governance.
The media robs the people of their right to be informed and to be equal
shareholders in the growth of the country with an unapologetic, unbiased view.
The media must only report on current affairs and exploit their right to question
people in power, deliver and survey the people's opinions, and contribute to their
role in this democracy.
Democracy comes from people who are able and knowledgeable about the world
around them. And for India, democracy exists at grassroots levels as a very
delicate principle. To preserve this democracy is the role of the fourth pillar of
democracy-Media, and they must do so without any biases and only with the
public in mind. If not this country stands at a risk to lose its core which has been
nurtured so carefully for the last 7 decades. As Stephen King once said - "The
trust of the innocent is the liar’s most useful tool.”
-28/1/2024
Word count-697
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