Media - Free publicity is oxygen to radicals' fire

Do we deserve our leaders? We elect our leaders. Do we deserve our society? We live and create our society. Do we deserve our media? We have a media which reports events, chews them and then spits them out contemptuously. We are dumbed down - how much is the cause, and how much the effect. We are deadened.

What is the role of a free media - In India, more often than not, the role is to sensationalise - capture eyeballs, raise TRPs. The media in India is often a joke. Witness the incessant wall to wall coverage of any radical action by fringe elements - a political party vandalising cinema halls in Gujarat showing Mahesh Bhat produced "Tum Mile" because his son has voluntarily given information of socialising with a terrorist.

Why does the Indian media provide free publicity? The media will argue - we highlight the pathetic nature of the event and show to our viewers the intolerant face of right wing facism. Well, then:

DO NOT Show to the public the hoodlums openly throwing stones filmed by cooperative cameramen. Refuse to air the film. Share the film with the police to identify the culprits and produce as evidence. It depresses all of us that this can happen in a free India. It scares all of us that we live in this society.

DO NOT name the political party concerned in public. Deny them any say, any interviews, any chance to explain, expound their view and get any opportunity for their propaganda.

DO show the police up for being influenced by politicians and not doing their duty.

DO follow up on whether the guilty have been brought to book.

NDTV hounding Manu Sharma to jail for the murder of Jessica Lal is terrific stuff but not often enough. There may be a few more cases they and other channels undoubtedly will bring up in their defence. In relation to the brazen doings of everyday India, these are few and far in between.

I want to challenge each news channel, every newspaper and all news magazines to take a new year resolution - one cause for each year. 365 days, 8760 hours, atleast 17520 bulletins. Enough space and time to relentlessly nail one issue, undo one injustice, raise awareness of one cause. Sustainability is key.

THE MEDIA IS THE WATCHDOG OF OUR DEMOCRACY. STANDUP TO YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES. FREE PUBLICITY IS THE OXYGEN TO THE RADICALS' FIRE.

What sense feeding it?