Potentials and failings of the Media
Your beloved ‘Vartha Bharati’ has completed 15 years of its journey today, and has entered the 16th year. On this joyous occasion,let us do some introspection on the media.
The end consumers of Media in any society are its people. But if these consumers set out to search for themselves in the media they use, they’d be rather disappointed because none of the Media platforms either recognise their existence or care about their interests or preferences. The policies of the Media houses, their priorities and their tone and tenor are all enigma to the common man. Many of them in course of time get used to this indifference of the Media or gradually learn to reset their own expectations. But the more sensitive among them keep wondering everyday as to why their media does not ever represent them.
The principal function of most of the Media houses today is to convert their consumers into the compulsive consumers of hundreds of other products in the market. Most of the consumers of the Media fail to notice for a long time that they are the direct targets and victims of this conspiracy of the Media.
The masses fail to comprehend how the media turns them addicts of goods and services that they can in fact comfortably live without. When they can afford to buy a bicycle, media lures them into buying a motorbike or a car on loan. By the time people realize what has gone wrong, they would have reached a point of no return. Most of the media do not stop here. They also keep people in dark ignorance about the issues that really matter to them. And all this is done so gently and with such precise planning that people would hardly realize something of this nature is even happening right under their nose.
India does not exist in Kolkata or Mumbai. The country breathes in its 7 lakh villages, according to Mahatma Gandhi. But if you look for those villages or people in the media, it’s hard to find. The number of our villages has come down to 6.5 lakhs. But yet, most of the 70% of our people live in villages. Majority of them seriously suffer from poverty and insecurity. However, the Consumers of most of our Mainstream Media are not likely to be aware of their plight. So is the story of our farmers, peasants and our working class.
On an average, about 45 farmers commit suicide every day in our country. Over 3 lakh peasants have resorted to suicide between 1995 and 2015, But the media has hardly mourned their death just because no one placed an ad of obituary on their behalf. Now there are about 50 crore labors in the Unorganised sector. There are lakhs of unemployed, homeless and destitutes, those suffering from malnutrition – unfortunately none of them are of any relevance to our media houses.
Saddest part is, the media not only refuses to acknowledge the presence of people of this categories, and their travails. Media often strives to focus people’s attention stays on irrelevant and idiotic statements made by politicians, or really frivolous issues such as cattle, cow, temple, mandir, private lives of cinema actors, luxury cars, expensive hotels so on and so forth.
As a result of this, people wouldn’t even notice serious matters that affect their lives such as the conspiracy of the ruling party or the dangerous schemes plans being hatched by capitalists close to power circles. No discussions or debates ever happen on the topics that matter to people that have been compromised. When paths to discussion are closed, solutions can never come by. And hence, the issues remain undercover much to the satisfaction of the perpetrators.
In reality, no problems are without solution. There are enough resources to help find solutions as well. But, we do have a problem with employing the resources, and prioritizing the task of finding solution. We may never be able to arrive at a point of resolution so long as the all-powerful people are reduced to mere puppets who are managed by mega industrialists. Media can change the way things work here by bridging the gap between what needs doing and the resources available, based on priority. With this, if media can help the debate remain alive to find better solutions, this would be the biggest help the most important pillar of democracy would be doing to the people of the country.
Today when Vartha Bharati enters its 16th year, we felt we must take stock of hits and misses of the media. Our Vartha Bharati was started amidst major financial challenges, but today has gathered a good number of readers across the spectrum. Even when value-based journalism is beginning to be a thing of past, Vartha Bharati has strived to stick to its ground and not fall into the trap of irresponsible value-less journalism. As a result of this, Vartha Bharathi has always believed in dissemination of truth or ‘truth everywhere’ as its motto. For the paper to remain an epitome of people’s aspirations, we need your whole hearted and proactive support.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
'Warm and engaging atmosphere reigned', Shashi Tharoor on Putin banquet
New Delhi (PTI): Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who on Friday attended a banquet for Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, on Saturday described the atmosphere there as "warm" and "engaging", and said he enjoyed his conversations with many of the attendees.
Tharoo’s remarks came a day after President Droupadi Murmu hosted a banquet for the visiting Russian president at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here.
“Attended the @rashtrapatibhvn banquet for President Putin last night. A warm and engaging atmosphere reigned. Enjoyed my conversations with many of the attendees, especially my dining companions from the Russian delegation!" Tharoor said in a social media post.
Murmu, while welcoming President Putin and his delegation at the banquet, had said that his visit marked an important milestone -- the 25th anniversary of the India-Russia strategic partnership, which was established in October 2000 during his first visit to the country as president.
Murmu also appreciated Putin's support and personal commitment to the India-Russia special and privileged strategic partnership.
The Congress on Friday said that the leaders of the opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, were not invited to the banquet, and took a swipe at Tharoor for accepting the invite.
The party’s media and publicity department head, Pawan Khera, accused the government of breaking protocols daily and not believing in democratic principles.
“There is no invite to both the LoPs, Mr (Mallikarjun) Kharge and Mr (Rahul) Gandhi. This comes as a surprise, but I don't think we should be surprised. This government is known to be breaching all protocols. What else to say, ask the government,” Khera said on Friday.
Asked about Tharoor accepting the invite for the banquet, Khera said, "Ask Mr Tharoor. All of us who are in the party, if our leaders don't get invited and we get invited, we need to question our own conscience and listen to our conscience. Politics has been played in inviting or not inviting people, which in itself is questionable, and those who accept such an invite are also questionable."
“We would have listened to our voice of conscience,” he added.
Earlier, Tharoor had said that there was a time when the chairman of the external affairs committee was routinely invited, but that practice seems to have stopped some years ago.
On Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government tells visiting foreign dignitaries not to meet the leader of opposition due to its "insecurity".
His remarks came hours ahead of Putin's two-day visit to India.
