Indian media – a new low

Media and news channels being insensitive at times is nothing new, but recently their height of insensitivity has reached a new high. Is there any ethics and integrity left? Gone are the days when news channel needs to receive official reporting on any incidents; nowadays WhatsApp forwards, rumors, gossips are being telecasted as ‘Breaking News’, all these for TRP . Journalism is a highly regarded profession, but the current trend makes us wonder if it should be considered as one anymore. Sometimes I feel whatever trends on twitter become the headlines the next day on the national news channels.

The recent drug probe against the Bollywood actors has kept the national media so busy that all other news has taken a back seat. Media persons are literally chasing the actor’s car as if they are criminals. The new norm of the national channels has been to scream at the top of their voice to get their point to the public; when did this become news reporting? Eradicating drugs from a country is undeniably important but not at the cost of sidelining other burning issues. Everything about celebrities become ‘Breaking News’; why are celebrities given such importance. They are professionals like any other industry; right from their pay to their publicity is hyped way beyond.

Not just this, the number of frenzied reporters gathering around hospitals when a celebrity is hospitalized; what are they all waiting for, who is going to report the death first? The reporters stand around the premises of the hospital like vultures to capture other celebrities visiting the patient and thronging them with questions. Please, there is something called privacy!

Why cannot a rule be imposed that there can be no media within 5 kms around the premises of hospitals, courtrooms, investigation offices etc. These reporters are not only posing risk for themselves but also public near them who are unable to maintain social distancing. Am not sure if there is any code of conduct maintained for the interviews being telecasted on the channels; use of foul language, accusations without any proof, fake sting operations all these have become the latest trend to increase the viewership of the channel.

The Indian news channel needs a serious retrospect of their reporting. Journalism being the backbone of a free country, the standard cannot be compromised for sheer viewership. A sincere request to all the channels is do not stoop to such a low that people lose their faith in journalism.