We all know that India is a democracy and the media plays a vital role in the functioning of our country. The role of media is not only to report but also to play an important role in interpreting what takes place in society, reflecting social diversity and changes, keeping governments accountable etc. But what happens today when we turn on our television or read some newspapers? How biased are they? Do they always speak for one party or another? If yes then why don't we have some kind of ethical code for journalists to follow?
The media is a pillar of democracy in India. The role of the media is to report and interpret what
takes place in society, to reflect social diversity and changes, and to keep governments accountable.
But today's role of media has been distorted. Media bias in India is not new, but it has become even
more raw and direct than before. The concept of 'free press' has been derived from the freedom of
speech enshrined in our Constitution under Article 19 (1)(a).
The role of print media was always more nuanced than that prescribed by law; however, today we
see an increasing number of cases where reports are pre-determined before they even reach print or
broadcast—with no room for correction or analysis after publication
It is an undeniable fact that freedom of the press exists only if it is free from the fetters imposed by
the state. When the media is influenced by any force or group, it becomes a tool for maligning
political leaders, influencing public opinion and promoting vested interests. This situation has
become worse with time as more and more people get their news through social media platforms
like Facebook and Twitter which are most times unverified sources.
The readership of these websites has increased manifold over years due to their easy accessibility but
at times they may also be misinformed about certain events that happen in our country like
communal tensions between two communities etcetera because these websites have no editorial
policies whatsoever which makes them prone to fake news being spread around.
Media Democracy and Indian Politics
In a democracy, the media is an important pillar of democracy. It acts as a watchdog for the
government and can be an effective tool for maligning political leaders. The media can influence
public opinion and promote vested interests by reporting on sensitive issues like national security or
election campaigns that affect people’s lives directly or indirectly.
In this essay, we will discuss how biased media has become a real threat to Indian politics by
influencing elections and causing electoral loss from time to time so far in recent years.
How freedom of expression can be threatened
Media can be threatened by the state, other political parties, corporate interests and individuals. The
state government has been accused of interfering with media freedom in various ways. For instance,
it has used its powers to ban publications that are critical of it and its policies. In another case, a
journalist was arrested for writing articles against some government officials (who were then
removed from office). Other times promises have been made to journalists that they would be
treated well if they did not write certain things about powerful people or organizations. However, these agreements were broken when those same individuals became president or prime minister
after being voted into office through elections held under a democratic process where all votes count
equally regardless of how many people cast them because democracy is what makes India great!
The Necessity of Balanced Media for a Vibrant Democracy
The media has been the fourth pillar of democracy. It is a watchdog of the government and society,
it offers citizens an opportunity to discuss issues affecting them, provide them with information
about their rights and duties as citizens, and presents alternative views on various issues that may be
relevant for them to have a better understanding about what goes on in our society.
Media also plays an important role in monitoring police activities. The media can scrutinise an
officer's performance through its own reporting or by providing evidence through court cases filed
against him/her by other parties (including victims).
Ethics in Journalism is a must for a healthy democracy
Ethics in Journalism is a must for a healthy democracy
- Journalists should be objective and unbiased. They should not take sides, or be partial to any
particular group, political party or individual.
- Journalists should be honest in their reporting and writing. They have a professional duty to
report facts without fear or favour. They are accountable to their readers/viewers through
disclosure of sources and contact information whenever possible; they respect the privacy rights of
individuals as well as those who may be affected by disclosures made by journalists (e.g.,
victims); they do not plagiarize someone else’s work without attribution which could lead to
legal action against them – including imprisonment if convicted under Section 500(2) of Indian
Penal Code [IPC] - Copyright Act 1909 [COPYRIGHT ACT].
A vibrant media is essential for a healthy democracy
A vibrant media is essential for a healthy democracy. It can be used as a tool to promote democracy,
or it can be used to destroy it. The role of the media in a democracy has changed over time as
technology has advanced and more people have access to information through new channels like
television, radio and the internet. This will help you understand why we should care about biased
reporting by mainstream outlets like CNN-IBN or Times Now because they have an influence on how
people view issues such as corruption etc., which may lead them towards supporting one party or
another depending on what stories are being reported by these news channels during election time
only!
We need unbiased reporting from all sources around us so that we get informed about any
important events happening around us at any given point in time i.e., if there is an earthquake
somewhere else then how does this affect us here?
Conclusion
It is the responsibility of every citizen to keep a watch on the media in order to make sure that it does
not act as a tool for maligning political leaders, influencing public opinion and promoting vested
interests. In this way, we can truly say that our fourth pillar i.e., the Indian media is no longer neutral
or unbiased at least during election time and also in some other crucial situations like national
security issues etc.
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