We need a new media policy 

   By Manohar Manoj, Editor, Economy India

    

I think it is very unfortunate to explain the whole setup of mass media as a subject of freedom only. Whenever one discusses media, its positivity only get reflected only when it is said that how much media is enjoying its freedom part. This perception about media is so old and so deep-rooted that nobody even able to enjoy freedom to think about media beyond this perception. To my mind, this perception is very vague  and this word never allow us to enquire about many more important facets of media in championing the cause of modern democracy, from where this word  'freedom'  is interpreted upon.

If we think that freedom is a very exciting democratic word, that is why we should confine our whole thinking on media on its freedom only, then we cannot address the various issues related to media. First and foremost, we should try to think that 'freedom of media, for what'? Is it for covering the news and issues in wayward, illogical, sensational and sporadic manner? or this freedom require for  better dealing with the masses, for showing  all cause of concern for the society and for establishing true democratic spirit of separation of power between legislature, judiciary and executive along with media for maintaining all values , principles and ideologies of the whole set up of nation. But, the latter kind of freedom cannot be attained by allowing freedom of media only, rather by prescribing the whole duty , responsibilities and at last the sustainability of media through our constitution of the country.

Freedom of expression is a right word in itself, but freedom of media or press is not a complete ideal statement or act any more. First of all we have to think what media is all about. freedom of press is hypothesis which is dealt upon through the establishment of corporate media in the past period which took the benefit of that fundamental right of 'freedom of expression', which gave corporate owners of media a right to go to any extent which they desire, not necessarily in protecting their economic interest of the media organizations, rather their side interests. This freedom of press provided them a weapon on behalf of people, in form of media to pressurize government. But unfortunately it was not prescribed in detail. It did not mention that each and every concern of the people of the country will mandatorily and compulsorily get covered. It did not compel media to go for high quality news analysis view research investigation based on ethical, ideal, factual, inspirational, enlightening approach which can act for the comprehensive betterment of society and nation. The free media cannot  ensure its economic sustainability at its own, if media is working in mission mode, it should be fully protected in economic terms also by the system. These all things may be made possible, if media get full constitutional, legal, financial and moral safety on behalf of nation.

 This is a matter of introspection, is this present freedom of media works in achieving better financial health of their media organization or for fulfilling the vast national and social interest of masses. In fact, the present freedom of media give them right to carry news items in either spicy way or sensational ways or seductive way without having any parameter of its social or national validity.

We must understand this fact, in modern world nothing should be kept out of regulation, because it always harms the interest of own and it ultimately makes the objectives of organization unachieved. We should know this fact that in actual term, media is unavoidable necessity of modern society, modern administration, modern government and above all the modern democracy. Seeing this importance of media, its role is even bigger than judiciary, but paradoxically, it still has no constitutional insertion.

We say just in a very notional term that presses is the fourth estate of democracy, means legislature, executive, and judiciary followed by media. But where is media in the constitution, nobody replies. The absence of media in the constitution book creates so many unclearity about media. One who says that media need only independence, they are underrating media as one of the fundamental pillar of democracy. Unless media has defined status in constitution, it will not create its importance, nor will it prove itself a responsible organ for the society and nation.

I think time has come when we must go for establishment of a new media commission, which will deal with various aspects of media, the aspects which are related to empowering people, society and nation through media. We want media to act truly as watch dog of democracy, a true agent of separation of power principles of democracy. We generally say 89media is flourishing obscenity, creating sensationalism, covering spicy items and exploiting criminal and sexual attitude of people. As we say three prime objective of media, to inform the people, to acknowledge the people and to entertain the people. First and foremost thing is  to ensure every citizen of the country  IKE (Information, knowledge and entertainment) through establishing countrywide mass media network, secondly, to ensure compulsorily coverage of the all cause of concern of all people and citizenry of the country without any discrimination, biasness and bargaining manner. Thirdly, to act as watchdog organization against all those corrupt, tyrant, idle factor working in other 3 organs viz. legislature, executive and judiciary.

Now, the thing is that, who will do it? , the unorganized, unregulated and unconstitutional corporate owned mass media. It may work or it may not, it may be mix of both. If constitution empowers mass media to cover all kind of irregularities and oppression occurring in the society, there will be neither attack over media nor will it act in a partisan and bargaining manner. People do not think that many problems of media like the cost and output imbalance of a media organization, the matter of news priority, the advertisement matter, the negligence of public utility news and more focus on marketing oriented news, the plight of media person, the economic insecurity of media workers and media publishers both. Under these circumstances, if media get constitutional status, it will automatically solve all imbalances related to media. It will ensure to carry all information items which are related to wrongdoing of the 3 pillar and 3 tier democracy. It will check the obscenity and sensuality coverage which emerges out of numbers of circulation race among print media and TRP Rating race among the electronic media. It will check the untimely death of many media organization and insecure condition of media persons. These formulas can be framed for the media just on the line of judiciary. Judiciary is financed by government, judges are appointed by government executives, but the same judiciary gives verdict against them. In the same pattern, media can also shoulder its responsibility if it is given constitutional status and being delegated national responsibility.  The constitutional validity of media will omit many evils persisting with media world.

Some people say that bringing media under constitution or govt. control will make media in a role of a drum beater for the govt., actually these people are living in fool's paradise, they think granting constitutional status to media will bring media on the line of old model of govt. controlled Akashvani and Doordarshan. People should understand that there is difference between govt. controlled media and the media having constitutional status.

Actually, the granting of constitutional status to media will make it more responsible to the nation and society and it will legalize media to go all out against all the odds of democratic society and nation and secondly it will make the economic foundation of media more solid. At present what we see here, in the name of media, there is media capitalism here. The big media house do not bother about balance sheet of their media organization, they are more interested in fulfilling their inherent objective and indirect gain through their unregulated media outfit.

 Actually people must understand the regulated and the constitutional status achieved media will better serve the cause of nation, the people as well as the media fraternity. On the contrast, free media just maintain statusquoism in our system.

What we see now, there is lack of transparency in media. Everybody knows media companies in general having lesser revenue than its cost. The circulation price and pay channel fee are not enough to fill the cost incurred over the media operation, so the rest is being balanced through advt. revenue. The whole advertisement policy either by govt. organizations or by non govt. organized organization decided by number of circulations and TRP ranking. In order to that every media organization indulge in circulation and TRP race, thus leaving the media ideals and greater public and societal concern aside and get involve in those kind of media coverage which are based on sensual, sexual, criminal, spicy, erotic, concocted, repetitive, and TRP -Circulation raising news and views items. Apart from this media get indulge in blackmailing activities with different govt.  and non govt. authorities, and thus accordingly their revelations and cancelation of news are being done. The zee episode is fine example of that. Everybody knows media require revenue, otherwise how they sustain and how they meet out the several costs of running media organizations. But the way Zee blackmailed the Jindal group it shows, media try to earn money by going out of way, that is blackmailing of the corrupt element. The fact is that Jindal group was ready to pay 25 crores in terms of advt. to check the coal mine allotment story. But Zee group, was adamant for more.

It clear means the media house was playing with news for the sake of revenue. And on the contrast the corporate house wanted to cover up by paying money in terms of advt. to the media house.  It became the case of media corruption, because it gets leaked otherwise it would not have case of corruption if both party were agree upon their mutual give and take. The thing is that how these matters of media would be addressed?

 If we say that media should not bother at all about advt. revenue, it would be not fair to them, the question is who will bear the finance? We want a very strong code of ethics having full constitutional and legal entity attached with media. So we need a media policy which can deal and define and can frame a broad policy guideline regarding whole editorial, advertisement and public responsibility of media

 The fact is that the triangle of media coverage, TRP race and legal- illegal ad revenue are creating various kinds of ailments in media.  Generally corporate group spends money over advertisement for the publicity of their product, so they choose spicy popular media, in place of a good content media. But so far govt. advertisement policy is concerned, at least it should be framed in such a manner which can promote pro people and non spicy media, so that good content journalism can be promoted. The editorial -advt. combination has to be balanced in such a manner which can be helpful in enacting and performing better social commitment on behalf of media.

Somebody says if media get constitutional status like judiciary, what will be its structure? They can act as trust or public private partnership. We have judiciary having core organs of registered lawyers and advocates; they are not on the payroll of government. In the same pattern govt. can develop a new media module with the help of corporates  in order to bring a new media order in the country which has more purposeful definition about public, society and nation and above all for the strengthening of democracy.

Media commission is very much need of country. Because we generally say that media is after spicy news for more and more circulations and TRP. On the other side it is also said that media is after more after PR and market oriented coverage which could ensure maximum advt. revenue for them. Media commission will try to define and look into the various aspects of advt. policy, the circulation policy, the policy on media content, the policy on priority of news, policy on economics of media ,  policy on employment in media etc., policy on whole media regulation, policy on recruitment in media.  If govt.  Take into account the economics of media, then other ailments of media can be  automatically addressed in proper manner.p