Asatyameva Fourth Estate...

I sometimes yell at myself for having opted Journalism as my major for graduation. Three years utopian concepts like:
  • Ethics
  • Creativity
  • Honesty
  • Objectivity

were taught to us. But now that I am out of this pakao graduation kii duniya, I wonder which of these bashans have really been executed in the real world? come to think of it, none of this has been executed. Creativity toh durr kii baat, yahaan toh the news are presented in such a dramatic manner that it looks similar to Ekta Kapoor's saas-bahu soaps. Infact i would say that no one can fabricate a story the way TV channels and Tabloids do. Commercialization seems to have given way to fabricated stories and kiddish sting operations and the one validating my point is none other the famous newswala Rajdeep Sardesai. I remember him saying last year that commercialization has become a priority for the news channels, as high salary is the only motivational factor for the young journalists who do not mind working on brainless stories. Add to this, we also have the political organizations and corporate houses running the media houses, which explains the biased news stories being published in a newspaper. And if you thought that only newspapers and news channels are unethical then i am afraid to say that internet is not far either. On the contrary spreading abusive and provocative news is easier through internet as the anonymity of the writer can be maintained, which makes it more dangerous.

I seriously miss those days when I and my parents watched Barkha Dutt giving minute by minute covergae about the Kargil war. I also remember the Operation West End by Tehelka editor in chief- Tarun Tejpal (infact that was when I desired to take up journalism). But sadly Satya kii yahaan koi jeet nahi hothi, hence Tarun Tejpal is not seen too much, neither do I see the bold characteristic of Barkha Dutt now. I don't know if the fourth estate would continue to look after its commercial purposes. I just hope that it does not become as jittery and as scary as the other three estates.

3 comments:

Wabbster said...

Don't bash the media now... They do it because there's a market. That's how everyone survives.

Don't get me wrong, but you sound like you have the 'grapes are sour' syndrome.

If you want to change it, do something about it. Merely ranting won't help. :)

shweta said...

hey u know wat,even i wish to b a journalist smday........havin the same frame in mind which u said u had in ur childhood,but this post of urs is reality,we jus hav to see,how we bring the actual reality in this world of commercialization n fake reality..................
stay cool n keepsmiling,tc

gayathri vishwanathan said...

@ shweta...

I am glad to know that you share the same thoughts as mine. I hope and seriously wish to bring out the reality in this commercially driven world.

thanks and keep writting in...