THE INDIAN NATION DEMANDS TO KNOW: WHEN WILL JOURNALISM REFORM ITSELF?

No offence to all my journalist friends, but the state of the journalism in India is becoming more and more intolerable. Sensationalism, rowdiness and bad reporting have become the order of the day. After watching several news channels and reading newspapers (baring a few of course), I feel I just waste time and not gained anything in the process. People debate with each other, but they rarely have a dialogue or hear each other out. Each channel/newspaper is out to thump the other. 

This post refers to three specific instances where I believe that media, in all its forms, is overstepping its boundaries in India, especially with regard to India's foreign policy. Let me state at the outset, that this is not a post to defend the Government of India, which is weak and has no long term vision. 

The first instance deals with instances of border incursions by Pakistan and China. If it was left to a couple of our news anchors, India would go to war everyday. Ceasefire violations on all ill-defined borders are common occurrences and the two armies have their own standard protocols to address these issues. What is generally reported in very nationalist terms as intrusion, is sometimes just a confusion on where one country's border ends and the other begins. Taking strong, belligerent stands by GOI against Pakistan and China is not going to help. For frankly nothing can be achieved militarily, considering both our neighbors are nuclear armed states and equally capable militarily. In the process of calling the Indian state weak and incapable, significant alternative mechanisms get over-shadowed because our 'weak' government is forced to act under 'popular/public opinion.'

The second instance deals with our stand over the Indian ship detained by the Iranian authorities in Bandar Abbas port in Iran a couple of days ago, on allegations of causing oil bilging (oil spill). Most ground sources and international agencies have implicated the Indian ship (belonging to Shipping Corporation of India) of having violated international environmental laws and being non-compliant. Ordinarily these issues are dealt with the insurance company of the ship, which conducts investigations and fulfills insurance claims. But in this particular case, an abridged version of the event was leaked to a News Channels, again with the rhetoric that being an Indian ship, it was targeted by Iran for geo-political reasons. A particular cause cited was Iraq taking the place of Iran in supplying oil to us. What is the actual truth is not the case here, what matters is within days the MEA took a belligerent stand demanding that the Iranians release the ship immediately and making it a major diplomatic stand-off. Maybe Iran is playing a geo-political game but the Indian ship was also non-compliant. The way ahead was letting the investigation run its course and back channel negotiations. Such stand-offs with our major energy suppliers is quite pointless. 

My third instance deals with this tiring see-saw between Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi. Really, I have heard so many debates on who should be the next PM candidate, when frankly I still know as little about their positions as I did when all of this started. How does Modi plan to bring us out of the economic mess we are in, what will he do about inflationary pressures, weakening currency and Current Account deficit. Similarly does Rahul have a vision on education, women's safety and growing unemployment. These are the things that I want to know, want dialogues on, want to understand more. 

An active media is often considered the 'fourth pillar' of a vibrant democracy. But when it becomes the judge, policy maker and lobbyist - it is a worrisome situation. Yes, Indian media flags up issues but the narrative/understanding is so weak that it does not lend to any meaningful solutions. Indeed some of the language and rhetoric disturbs me. This is not to say that all journalism is devoid of any content, India has some amazing writers and thinkers as journalists and academicians. However, this trend that began some years ago of loud talk, even louder accusations and no substance has now become the norm. We need to find a balance between reporting and flagging issues in the national conscience and becoming arbitrators, judges and decision makers.