-- Nov 16 National Press Day --
BHUBANESWAR:
Media has a bigger role to play in society and the latter has a greater
responsibility to coordinate and cooperate with the Press for everything to be
smooth.
The development of media from the
days of bullock cart to cyber mart contains a long history of struggle with all
odds. Similarly, from Bengal Gazette to today’s mushrooming of mass media
organizations, media has witnessed many ups and downs with the times.
In Odisha also, from the Kujibar
Patrika to today’s flash news, containing websites, media has undergone a sea
change. Hundreds of journalists of the State shaped the sector to inform,
educate and entertain the people in a very systematic way.
Many a time, the society has
brought allegations against media that it sensationalises and created hypes.
The politicians are always worried about controlling media in disguise. Now,
paid news syndrome is affecting the image of media badly creating a hue and cry
in the country, which fuels anticipation of anti-media campaigners for the
draconian ‘censorship’.
Amidst all the allegations, media
has been continuously playing a big role to unearth many untold stories that
affects the very foundation of Indian democracy. The Hypodermic Needle theory
still works in the country. It is true that when a poor or hapless citizen
fails to get help from the other pillars of the Indian democracy, he seeks
media help in order to impose pressure and highlight the callousness or apathy
of the Government and other institutions.
From Delhi
gang-rape case to Bebina and Itishree case in Odisha, from 2G spectrum and coal
gate scam to Sainik deal and Hindalco coal block allocation issue in Odisha,
from Uttarakhand flashflood to cyclonic storm Phailin and resultant flood, in
each case, media reaches and reports the untold hidden stories to uncover truth
before society.
Whether it is farmer suicide or
tribals’ land and forest related issues, everywhere people want media should
highlight their issues to get proper attention of national and international
bodies. When the protector of the law including the State Government and the
police breaches the law, public always come to the door of media expecting its
intervention to unseal the veil of a corrupt Government and its enforcement
agencies.
To keep its credibility intact,
media should come closer to the common people with a clean image to give voice
to the voiceless. Entertainment is a part of viewers’ demand, but there is no
dearth of issues in the country that can be given priority over the gossips and
Page 3 reports.
Hundreds of farmers, artisans and
weavers commit suicide every year due to loan pressure and crop loss. Violence
against women is on the rise in such a manner that parents fear to send their
girl to outside home. Corruption, scam and scandal have taken a permanent place
in the secret agenda of a ruling party. Education became costlier and
employment turned into a dream for the youths of the State in particular and
country in general. Forceful acquisition of land, violation of human rights by
the Government machinery, infringement of forest rights and environment safety
norms have become a regular affair for the Government and its enforcement
agencies with the active funding of corporate houses. There are lots of issues
in the country to highlight in the media. As we are living in a developing
world, we should give priority on development journalism.
It is the need of the hour that
media should stand by common people in their difficult time by becoming a voice
of the people, not of the political parties or corporate houses.
According to the Rajan Committee
report, Odisha is a poor State. Our performance is low in several sectors and
our Government is trying its best to show us as national poor to get the
special category State
tag. Six decades passed, but we are still poor in the country. It is the duty
of the media to unmask the inability of the legislative and bureaucratic wings
before the people so that they would choose a better Government to rule the
State.
Media is still a powerful estate
in most of the democratic countries of the world. From eighteenth century to
present days, it has a long history of bringing political, educational and
economic reforms. We can find the significance of media from a sentence spoken
by Edmund Burk at the House of Commons in 1879 after completion of French
Revolution. Burk pointing a finger at the Press gallery, had said, “Yonder sits
the fourth Estate, more important than all.”
As people believe in media, the
latter should uphold their faith by connecting their voice to the mass.
Published on November 16, 2013
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