Independence day is coming. We are recalling memories of those brave hearted men and women who sacrificed their lives in lieu of independence. Patriotic songs started coming in the ears. Journalists especially in print media have been zeroing their articles on moral , ethical and patriotic preaching. When these things I come across around me I understand well one thing either independence day or republic day is coming. Journalists are found suggesting how India should be , what Indians do, etc, etc. They start emphasizing on equality. On the arrival of these days, Indians automatically improve as the Moslems improve during the Ramadan. Even moslem contract killers go on one month leave during this period. Coincidentally both are coming almost together. These occasional ethical marketers I feel are crashing bores.
I strongly believe that journalists today are those who, the most, follow the dictum – say good but avoid goodness. Journalism is the most sacred work on this planet. Doing journalism equals offering namaz and going to a temple. It is a sorry state for me when we use true with journalism. Journalism should be journalism. Journalism should be a hope to this country. Of course, all the journalists cannot be weighed the same way but what we come across as a commoner becomes our opinion. I do not know how the resident editor of a newspaper feels about the common man when he is in his ac cabin and the public become trespassers when they try to meet him. I do not know how a news editor of a reputed news channel reacts to when he/she meets a common man. However on the basis of my personal experiences I can say that they do not pay heed to the hoi pol·loi. They treat themselves more like bureaucrates and less like journalists. I remember some years back when a boy fell in a borewell, the entire India media had telecast the story live for more than 50 hours until the boy was rescued but when I go to a reputed news channel to help a mentally sick girl who was raped time and again , wandering with a baby in her womb , the authority lets me go telling they do not cover news at such a micro level. I remember, when we go to the office of a reputed news paper to highlight some irregularities in a block , we are asked to get solid proofs , on the contrary the reporters of the same newspaper arrange to publish a news at merely 100 rupees. When people contact a religious organization to give decree on whether eating a crow is forbidden or allowed, they proudly perform the job but when a helpless , an oppressed knocks their doors for help and shelter they are treated as though they are lepers.
After writing all this I, a common man want a piece of advice to communicate to all those ethical marketers that remember charity begins at home. If we want to pledge something , let us pledge that we will use journalism in a true way as it should be. Top brass of the media can also hold a junta durbar and entertain all the complaints of the common man of this nation. Let the media pledge this nation’s birthday that they will not flash news on the basis of economy but will highlight a news on the humanitarian ground that deserves really. It is the time that media be real guards of mankind. After all, a common man deserves more news than that of Rahul’s menu in a dalit house.
Note : This was sent to the Hindustan Times but not published.
