News

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty

From the horse back messenger to the present day 24x7 news channel man has travelled a long distance in time. There was a phase in man’s evolution when communication was perhaps not even conceived of as a human necessity. But gradually when existence was stabilized and clusters of civilization were formed, social relationship and curiosity to know things grew. Small kingdoms and chieftain territories necessitated information about enemy movements, epidemics, famines, floods and spying activities. All these required collection and transmission of information. The ruling class depended on these kinds of information to protect their kingdoms and also to cover the people. Sending royal missives was an officially recognized practice. The messenger like the modern ambassador enjoyed political immunity. At the personal level people depended on hearsay, rumours and royal proclamations. But these activities never came under the category we call news today.

News, as per the Oxford English Dictionary is to give information about recent events. But technology and the news craze of modern people have made it instantaneous information about an event or situation or statement. Even before the newsworthiness of an event or happening is realized transmission of it is made. Before the electronic media took the centre stage the news paper and later the radio supplied all the news of the world. People waited for the morning news papers and also for the news timings of the radio. Today the reach of the radio is so sweeping that the Prime Minister of India chose the radio for his Man Ki Baat a la the Obama mode. Need for national, global news rises every day. In the rural sector the local news is as important as the national news. As the life shaping, behavior setting informations come from all directions. Advertisements also have great information value. The electronic media, however, takes the cake for size as the television brings the world in all its colours and dimensions to the drawing room. The TV even makes news. The breaking news is like a film trailor creating anticipation. And above all the smart phone in the hands of people vibrates the news noisy world.

But the 24x7 news channels explode all kinds of information in such a loud manner that it is difficult to decide which information is conducive for a healthy orientation of the reality around. Channels have their own social, religious and political bias. The fourth estate is now more than a watch dog of the other three pillars of our democratic polity. In India the freedom of the press is guaranteed by the constitutional government. One may say the Indian news industry is too free to air truth as a self-perceived imaginary without checks and balances. The camera phone in the hands of the common people with uncommon  interest in intrigue often send newsy videos which ultimately shame the media houses to withdraw calmly before they catch the attention of the public.  Often the political parties send fake videos to captive channels and they go viral raising a storm in gossip tea cups. In the name of investigative journalism at times truth is unearthed and presented before the viewers with some legitimate pride. But the veracity of the truth thus unearthed many a time go unverified. The film stars and cricketers are media obsessions. They play a juicy item for almost twenty four hours and more for their TRP. The death of Sridevi, a notable actress, was played by all English and most Hindi news channels as a murder mystery. It was later shown as a natural death. But the Sherlock Holmes’ of media channels came out with evidence-forensic, circumstantial and even supposedly ocular- to present Sridevi’s death as premeditated murder. The Arushi murder case was so messed up by the news channels and the police that the CBI in the end couldn’t find any evidence to prove anyone guilty beyond reasonable doubts.

But the news too has great entertainment value. When TV journalists pursue a case – be it political or otherwise – they create suspense, suspicion and denoument which might earn a grim smile even from Agatha Christie. But the viewer feels he/ she is taken for a ride when the media plays judge, jury and executioner. Media trials often appear like judicial pantomime which reduces the news value to fanciful mockery. Every evening the same faces, the so called spokespersons of political parties and journalists are called for debates on national issues. The noisy illogic and prejudicial statements are an attack on our stoical patience.

But the news channels often find out the truth and the missing links which are glossed over or missed by the investigating agencies. They also reveal facts suppressed by governments and always stay ahead of newsmakers. If some sobriety tempers the noise our news channels can be lauded as true advocates of the mute public.