FREEDOM OF PRESS AND JUSTICE KATJU
(socialist_pakistan_news@yahoogroups.com)
Justice Markandey Katju is making a very relevant point about the behaviour of media. The media has been taking more interest in trivial issues that entertain the elite like the Formula 1 race or trivia about Bollywood personalities. It has by and large ignored serious issues like conflicts, adverse impact of globalization on the large sections of Indian people, corporate greed and corruption, etc. If Media is non-entertaining, it is covering issues that catch the fancy of Middle-class like the disproportionate coverage given to Anna Hazare Movement for days without end as if there were no other issues concerning the people of India.
With the menace of paid news, ordinary readers are not able to make any difference between news and advertisements and readers gulp down the disinformation of an advertisement planted by motivated and interested parties as if it is news and independent opinion or carefully verified facts that are being reported. Thus corporate elements, powerful institutions and rich personalities claim a largely disproportionate space within media leaving no or little space for human interest stories and information about health issues, education, extent of and causes of poverty. Even in such stories, the perspective is largely upper caste, upper class north Indian Male perspective masquerading as patriotism and nationalism.
Their coverage of conflicts is not free from bias, in fact it strengthens biases and prejudices against the minorities, dalits and women. Media’s role in fanning communal conflicts has been criticized by a number of Inquiry Commissions.
The Editors and publishers of the media are ganging up against Justice Katju in the name of freedom of press to guard their financial interests and defend their misdemeanours.
Justice Katju needs to be supported on his bold stand. Let us all stand up for him and support him to clean the mess within media even while supporting freedom of press.
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