Rosy (Poisonous) Media

The title of article is very catchy as whether we should consider media as rosy and socially responsible or poisonous for the common people’ mind. The thoughts are my own and I am not blaming any media or any other form of news channels for their behavior as they might be correct in their own way and as a human I have right to express my thoughts.

The first published newspaper was as per google search engine was

the Relation aller Furnemmen und gedenckwurdigen Historien

Johann Carolus (1575-1634) was the publisher of the Relation aller Furnemmen und gedenckwurdigen Historien (Collection of all Distinguished and Commemorable News). The `Relation’ is recognized by the World Association of Newspapers, as well as many authors, as the world’s first newspaper.

When the first newspaper had been published the idea was to provide the news to the people so the day to day activities within the surrounding society or the world reach to common people. Over the period the newspaper keeps changing and changing. The corporate houses have started investing in newspaper and the real war begins. It is well known fact that lots of newspapers are biased and they will play in hands of political parties and corporate houses. No one can deny this fact and over the period everyone has accepted this fact. I am sure there will be thousands of newspapers getting published everyday (jn paper form) and as per World Press Trend Report there are 2.5 billion people reading the newspaper and 600 million using digital form of newspaper.

The first digital newspaper was The Columbus Dispatch on 1st July 1980 and the new trend had been begins. In 1980 CNN become first 24 hours NewsChannel and in 1995 one of the most trusted news media BBC World started broad casting 24 hours free to air international news channel.

Currently in India as per google search engine 403 news channel are in India in different languages (https://telecomtalk.info/total-number-tv-channels-india/139844/). When you see the number your eyes get wide and look at the number of people employed and how many other businesses are supported because of news channels.

This is why I term Rosy Media. It fascinates you with following fact:

  • 24 hours news
  • In split of second the news spread
  • By sitting in remote part of world you get update for rest of world at your fingertip
  • The hard work of reporters who put their life at risk to capture the news either in war zones, flood, riots, earthquake

Each coin as two side two side so this rosy media has other side which I call poisonous media which gives the news and share the stories which has no relevance or they behave like maniacs I used to watch the NewsChannel as I love to know about the world and feel proud of the journalists who put day and night one to give us the latest news. However, I feel with digital media and online news channels the media lost its honesty and dignity. The newspaper when we are holding on our hand (slowly less and less people prefer print newspaper) you are not sure whether the news published are biased or controlled by Government. Sometime the newspaper is publishing the news which has no value and slowly you feel the newspaper is just becoming tissue paper to clean the garbage. Why suddenly this media become so poisonous? Why we loosing trust from media? Whether the race to become most readable and giving most exciting scoop is deteriorating the media?

The news channels which used to provide the best of best live update are becoming shouting channels (specifically Indian news channel). Once upon a time I used to watch TIMES NOW and I was feeling happy that one of the Indian channels is growing so fast and all the news reporters are working so hard. Over a period, I realized it is a circus as the news anchor is just shouting his/her lungs out. They call the bunch of the people so called experts of the subject and they start debate but most of the time in debate it is only shouts and there is no conclusion. The conclusion might be already decided before the debate as in end the news anchor will give his/her conclusion. The news channels become source of spreading fake news and terror as where the best of best spy agencies cannot reach, the news reporter will reach. I always remember that you must reach in amazon forest where sun rays also cannot reach. Now we should say you should reach where a news reporter cannot reach.

I am not against media as I love to read news and my morning 30 minutes on breakfast table is meant for news. I just request media that give us the news and don’t give us scoops. The media is source of the information and it is not source to pour biased, poison in the people’s mind. The reporter is losing its independent personality as they are forced to express the views which the Government or the ruling party of the nation wants. I want the media back where I trust the words and I read to understand the current affairs of world, I want to learn, I want to see the images of the world where I cannot go or reach. I wish National Geography would be running a newspaper as I truly feel they are one of the most genuine publishers (though some reports says they have their own dirty politics) but as of now it is one of the best magazine to learn on humans, animals, science and above all some of the best of best images.

Let the poisonous media gets it ROSY image back

Mainak

20th September 2020


6 Comments

  • Ami Divatia

    September 28, 2020

    True. You reflected feelings of many news lovers like us. One of the things that make the media poisonus is money associated with it. May it be through circulation, ads or political payments it is lucrative for the owners. Hence, scoops have bexome necessary evil. The other thing that makes it poisonus is power it holds. People still have faith and dependance on news from media which giives it a lot of power to play with psyche of the people.

    Good write up Mainak, keep writing.👍🏻👌🏻

    Reply
    • mainvips

      October 2, 2020

      Ami

      Thanks a lot for your positive feedback and looking forward to hear more from you

      Reply
  • Paras

    October 4, 2020

    So true and your writing resonates with me. It is sad that this 5th estate (most, not all)-media has lost its essence and has started to take sides.

    Reply
    • mainvips

      October 4, 2020

      Thanks Paras for your comment. I full agree with you

      Reply
  • Khyati Sheth

    October 4, 2020

    Great write up! It’s an alarming situation in recent scenario before it takes any ugly stage. Very well expressed and portrayed your views. Enjoyed reading it! Keep writing 👍

    Reply
    • mainvips

      October 4, 2020

      Thanks Khyati. Yes it is alarming and hope one day we can make it change

      Reply

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