By Nazim Khan
The idea of news in our country has transformed from the Doordarshan era to the TEZ satellite news channel time. Gone are the days when Doordarshan would cater to the old news format for the entire country. Television viewers would know all newsreaders as they were few and appear on screen again and again. Even the commercials then were very few which can be expected. There was fixed format and schedule of news broadcasting. But with the advent of 21st century news became a commodity and media an industry.
The increasing number of news channels initiated a different war to give the audience something different, something unique which no other channel has. And in this competition, channels coined a new term Exclusive. No other word is so misused as the word exclusive on the idiot box.
Being a student, I realize the importance of a story tagged as exclusive, as the electronic media is a step ahead of the print version because people now like to see more and read less. We realize the importance of a story on say bomb blasts as it deals with the internal security of the country.
Something pertaining to defence generally creates interest in people as defence remains one of the highly watched news item on television. But it is often seen that channels tend to highlight not so important aspects of a serious issue.
For example, when the boy fell into the pit, the first news flash was that the army reached with all equipment to rescue the child. The second breaking news was the army chief talked to the parent of the child. Even a nursery class student can understand it is quite obvious that if a boy has fell into a pit and army is there for rescue then they will surely reach there and the chief will talk to parent for consoling them that they will save their child. I really can’t understand what is the purpose of the exclusive tag to the news.
The Lost dog of Commissioner news also got the tag of “Exclusive.” Is the missing of a dog as a serious issue for journalists as the violation of human rights of common people? The entire media highlighted the Arushi murder case and neglected all the remaining news. They displayed EXCLUSIVE Arushi hatyakand and acted as police and made the victims great criminals.
The media are also blamed that they hide what does not suit them or their bosses, political or otherwise. But they highlight all negative news about Muslims.
The TEZ news channel showed a sting operation in which they purchased some bomb making material from a shop of a non-Muslim owner. But the very next day the news was missing at the channel and subsequently from the mind of people also. The recent blast in Kolkatta in which four people were killed in a slum area was also not highlighted by the media. The blast could give a clue to Ahmedabad blasts but no one has shown interest as, I think, the people behind the Kolkata blast might not have tag of Muslim.
Now it seems that a particular format of a news story related to terrorist attack or bombing in India is being followed by the media. Soon after a terrorist bombing the first tag flashes on the television screen is: The hand of the “Lashkar, HuJI and Simi”. Before any official announcement the news channels find the suspected organizations and declare them guilty. They broadcast even details of the terrorists: the food they had, the talk they had and so on.
Not low is the number of television viewers who want to know about serious issues like farmers’ suicide, condition of Adivasi in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, education rag pickers etc. But the media sensationalize trivial issues. They have no time for serious issues.
There is a need to think over the increasing commercialization of journalism. There was a time when journalism was a esteemed profession for social change but it has now become an occupation for earning more and more.
The word EXCLUSIVE is losing its shine and hence it is high time for all to think over the responsibility of the journalist and media as they have now become important parts of the society.
(The author is a law student and human rights activist in Maharashtra)