The changing face of Libertarian Media

We all learnt in school that media is the fourth pillar of democracy, after the Parliament, Administrative department, and the Judiciary body. Over the years, media in its print and electronic forms has reached the hook and corner of the globe, thereby, practicing authority and control over our minds and, programming them with their tools and implements. Now, there are a plethora of private giant ‘elite’ media agencies, which love to cover tantalising occurrences over humanitarian issues.

The media is all powerful and it is by this power that it can build or dismantle, unite and divide, almost anything and anyone. Though independent of the government interference in a free market model, media still remains an agency liable to the masses, for each piece of news it transmits to us. And why shouldn’t it be, when we actually depend on it for our daily dose of world update, believing that we will get absolute real information sitting in our living rooms and offices, even while on the move!

I heard it from a senior journalist once that hard but true, ‘Media is class biased, caste biased and gender biased’. There is upper caste domination in media, which is anti Dalit. Similarly, when there are issues of communal clashes, the media reacts differently. Issues of poor and minorities are neglected. I have gradually understood this statement.

In today’s western and privatised economy, it has become more than abstruse to approach the big (national) media for the issues of the marginalised and poor. But some frivolous things will simply (I wonder how) find their way into the leading dailies and news channels. After all, Master Blaster’s 39^th birthday was more crucial to be covered across all news channels, where his fans hailed and wished their ‘God’ on various social networking sites, than say, to Irom Sharmila fasting indefinitely for past 12 years for abolition of AFSPA; agitations by the (Dalit & Adivasi) masses on account of being deceived and ripped of their rights by the government; people’s resistance to Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP); illegally regulated trade of manual scavenging and several more of such human right struggles . For all such grounded campaigns and struggles it is a major challenge to get media focus. Consequently, there is no public sensitisation and awareness creation, and balanced public views on important social issues plaguing our society.

Social issues don’t assure any readership, so the rush to the Tatas, Birlas, Ambanis, IPLs, Celebrity birthdays, their family functions and pets taking ill, high profile political scams, revelation of life on earth coming to an end by a certain year and so on. Yes, they not just covered but made the Anti-corruption movement of Anna and team a world campaign, through their media advocacy. The trend being that news channels will report such campaigns on the condition of having a celeb endorse and support them. So, it is not the seriousness or willingness to cover the issue per se, but the presence of celeb that makes it ‘News’.

Important news will find its way to news scrolls at the bottom of our TV screens, hardly or least noticed by anyone. Sometimes, while watching some news debates n leading national channels, I kind of calculate the time speakers are allotted to make their point. And to me it seems that the time hosts take to catch up with their breath (after monologues) is actually the time available to the guests to speak. Then why such show of inviting the issues for discussions if truth is to be substituted and undermined? In the electronic media, few (really few) who are willing to cover such news, are deterred from doing so by their superiors, thereby demystifying the theory of media ethics studied and actual application in the free market.

Media ‘ethics’ are now subverted. Media is no more impartial and sensitive. They are powerful and no one questions them… no one fixes any responsibility on them. The media that were once driven to benefit the public at large now cannot be believed prima facie for the authenticity of their information. Corporate and political sharks are their share holders. Thus, because of their financial dependency on them, media have become guardian of their interests. In such Libertarian model, media ethics have changed from social responsibility to corporate and political responsibility, becoming a business, losing the trust of the people in them.  Honestly speaking, I am one who would think more than ones before considering any version of news authentic.

All said and done, engaging with media is still the need of any humanitarian issue and the media cannot be absolved of their responsibility. Rooted social movements due to various handicaps (lack of trained human and restrictive financial resources and negligence on the important role of media etc.) have also failed to engage with this wing in governance. Like advocacy with government authorities on any issue, consistent and strategic lobby and advocacy with media is equally important, or rather more important for wider reach of the cause. t is to be remembered (as first hand experience)that just one time engagement with the media agencies never will help the cause get anywhere, and the sensitive ones need to be located and dialogued persistently to be have effective media advocacy. Therefore, some effective ways of engaging with the media could be as listed below for your help[1]. 

1. Put the news angle in the front of press release with important data at the top; data should be crisp when meeting with that specific journalist;
2. The data base should be well researched, precise and concise in 2-3 pages, which deals with the subject/issue;
3. Special reporters concerned with the issue should be selected;
4. There are specific people who look after social development sector. So, establish contact with some journalists to have one to one relation.
5. Prior to any public programme (like sit-in, public hearing etc.) pursue the cause; organise a press conference with 10-15 journalists who are concerned about the issue and brief them about the move;
6. The press conference should be held a day or two before the event and not long before it
7. Journalists like to get ‘exclusive’ information, so press conferences are not always the best way to get your message published. Combine a general press conference with some off the record information for particular newspaper/journalist. This would give them the sense of ownership over that news. 
8. Never send the press release randomly to the media houses. First call the person/media house; hand deliver it along with the soft copy through mail; and follow it up to check whether it has reached the journalist.
9. While presenting news to the media houses, some positive aspects should also be highlighted.
10. Specific information should be given for electronic media;
11. Try arranging for a field visit for the journalist to have a long lasting bond with him and to make him taste the ground reality.
12. One can have direct access to the editor concerned only after the lobby has been established;
13. Political lobby is very important with media lobby for the issues would then have more space in the media coverage if that news is backed by political interest.
14. The space of small news published in regional newspapers is also significant.
15. There is one BC for each city and metro reporting has its own chief. Each edition generally has a BC. The Bureau Chief (BC) takes decisions and s/he is an important person to be located first. Local coverage and bureau reporting are distinct from one another. The BC assigns a specific journalist for the news. It is suggested that the information regarding an event like sit-in be communicated to the BC a day before, so that he could designate a reporter exclusively for the event coverage. 

[1] Advocacy & Lobby Workshop, organized by NCDHR and IPAC, Feb 2010 (unpublished)

Picture Courtesy: economicnoise.com