Improving Media in India - Addl Inputs
Dear Friends:
We wanted to revisit the State of Media discussion again before finalizing the whitepaper. We request each on of you to review the Issues, Root Causes and Solutions below as submitted by you to improve Media in India and share any additional inputs you might have.
We are in the process of compiling the whitepaper and will then submit to all the concerned Government Leaders and Ministries.
We look forward to your participation!
Rajendra Pratap Gupta
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Improving State of Media - Issues, Root Causes, Solutions
Issues Identified:
1. The power of media is misused
2. Media houses are moving away from their primary responsibility, which is to report good and genuine news
3. Absence of well researched presentations in both print and electronic media
4. Only negative news is covered mostly; positive news is ignored
5. News channels sensationalize sensitive issues
6. Obscene content is published in newspaper and magazines
7. Media overhypes social problems in India
8. Defamation of individuals by media
9. Journalists accept favours from individuals to publish their news
10. Many PR (Public Relations) companies give gifts/cash to journalists for publishing their customer's news/providing coverage
11. Newspapers publish news about companies who are giving them ads on a preference basis (sometimes on the same day)
12. Newspapers are mostly advertisements with minimal news
13. A lot of news articles don’t have credible sources
14. Too many mediums; the real news gets lost
15. Many political parties and industrialists influence the media to fulfil their need
16. Newspapers and channels at times ask for pay offs to hold back certain news against businesses/politicians/celebrities
17. Some newspapers even promise the exact page /column/article size for paid news (non-advertorial)
18. Sensitivity of information is many a times ignored or taken too softly, leading to communal clashes
19. Majority of the channels do not cover any international news
20. Debates on television seem to be a fighting ground than serious discussions
21. There is limited focus on reporting positive/constructive/inspiring news and people
Root Causes Identified:
1. Media has a lot of authority vested in them
2. There is no objectivity in news coverage
3. Media houses are getting more and more profit centred
4. News which will generate better TRPs are given preference
5. Government watch over the content produced in newspapers and magazines is weak
6. Corruption and paid news is prevalent
7. No strict laws on journalists accepting favours from companies/individuals
8. More the advertisements in the newspapers, more the profits
9. A nexus has developed between the media and the corporate world with PR companies in the centre of it
10. Media houses need Ad money to survive and it becomes hard to unmask(prosecute) the same person/institution who is a key revenue source
11. Some of the smaller news channels do not have the resources to cover international news
12. Many media houses are owned by politicians and corporate honchos
13. Some reporters are not educated/trained enough to understand the sensitivity of some events
14. Too many media channels create unhealthy competition, unsavoury practices and blatant commercialization
15. Media industry lacks good journalist with in depth knowledge
16. Media is drifting away from its social responsibility
17. Sensitivity of the news with maximum social impact is not a priority today
18. Too many institutions/universities teach journalism today, but don't teach the primary responsibility of a journalist
Solutions Identified:
1. An Ethical Code of Conduct should be written for Media and all media/PR company CEOs/Owners must be made signatories to it. Violation should mean defined and serious consequences
2. I& B Ministry may consider having a department to monitor the media and take action if required
3. A regulatory body should be established which over sees the working of media houses and also defines the ‘Operating & Broadcasting’ Guidelines for them
4. Controls and checks should be implemented such that business conglomerate ownership of media does not influence its independence and content
5. It should be Mandatory for media to disclose the source of Paid News
6. Sources of income of media houses should be audited and any undefined source should be made answerable
7. All journalists should be made to declare gifts above Rs 100 to their company
8. Accepting direct/indirect favours by journalists should be made a criminal offence
9. Investigative journalism should be encouraged
10. The amount of advertisements in a newspaper or on a news channel per day, should have a cap on it
11. Misleading advertisements should be banned
12. Online debates should be avoided if the channel is not able to maintain decency
13. Reporting of speculations and the slamming between political parties should be reduced
14. Content of positive and informative news needs to increase to about 70% of the broadcast
15. Community Engagement in all types of Media must be increased to improve content validation and reduce dependence on a single journalist.
16. Necessary steps should be taken against media houses owned by Foreigners, who tend to show India in poor light
17. Media should restrain itself from trying a person before courts do so
18. There should be a limit to the number of news channels operating
19. DD/Prasar Bharati should be made autonomous like BBC in Britain. If DD provides unbiased and high quality content, then others will be forced to follow suit
20. It should be compulsory for all news channels to show social awareness programs on weekly basis more
We wanted to revisit the State of Media discussion again before finalizing the whitepaper. We request each on of you to review the Issues, Root Causes and Solutions below as submitted by you to improve Media in India and share any additional inputs you might have.
We are in the process of compiling the whitepaper and will then submit to all the concerned Government Leaders and Ministries.
We look forward to your participation!
Rajendra Pratap Gupta
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Improving State of Media - Issues, Root Causes, Solutions
Issues Identified:
1. The power of media is misused
2. Media houses are moving away from their primary responsibility, which is to report good and genuine news
3. Absence of well researched presentations in both print and electronic media
4. Only negative news is covered mostly; positive news is ignored
5. News channels sensationalize sensitive issues
6. Obscene content is published in newspaper and magazines
7. Media overhypes social problems in India
8. Defamation of individuals by media
9. Journalists accept favours from individuals to publish their news
10. Many PR (Public Relations) companies give gifts/cash to journalists for publishing their customer's news/providing coverage
11. Newspapers publish news about companies who are giving them ads on a preference basis (sometimes on the same day)
12. Newspapers are mostly advertisements with minimal news
13. A lot of news articles don’t have credible sources
14. Too many mediums; the real news gets lost
15. Many political parties and industrialists influence the media to fulfil their need
16. Newspapers and channels at times ask for pay offs to hold back certain news against businesses/politicians/celebrities
17. Some newspapers even promise the exact page /column/article size for paid news (non-advertorial)
18. Sensitivity of information is many a times ignored or taken too softly, leading to communal clashes
19. Majority of the channels do not cover any international news
20. Debates on television seem to be a fighting ground than serious discussions
21. There is limited focus on reporting positive/constructive/inspiring news and people
Root Causes Identified:
1. Media has a lot of authority vested in them
2. There is no objectivity in news coverage
3. Media houses are getting more and more profit centred
4. News which will generate better TRPs are given preference
5. Government watch over the content produced in newspapers and magazines is weak
6. Corruption and paid news is prevalent
7. No strict laws on journalists accepting favours from companies/individuals
8. More the advertisements in the newspapers, more the profits
9. A nexus has developed between the media and the corporate world with PR companies in the centre of it
10. Media houses need Ad money to survive and it becomes hard to unmask(prosecute) the same person/institution who is a key revenue source
11. Some of the smaller news channels do not have the resources to cover international news
12. Many media houses are owned by politicians and corporate honchos
13. Some reporters are not educated/trained enough to understand the sensitivity of some events
14. Too many media channels create unhealthy competition, unsavoury practices and blatant commercialization
15. Media industry lacks good journalist with in depth knowledge
16. Media is drifting away from its social responsibility
17. Sensitivity of the news with maximum social impact is not a priority today
18. Too many institutions/universities teach journalism today, but don't teach the primary responsibility of a journalist
Solutions Identified:
1. An Ethical Code of Conduct should be written for Media and all media/PR company CEOs/Owners must be made signatories to it. Violation should mean defined and serious consequences
2. I& B Ministry may consider having a department to monitor the media and take action if required
3. A regulatory body should be established which over sees the working of media houses and also defines the ‘Operating & Broadcasting’ Guidelines for them
4. Controls and checks should be implemented such that business conglomerate ownership of media does not influence its independence and content
5. It should be Mandatory for media to disclose the source of Paid News
6. Sources of income of media houses should be audited and any undefined source should be made answerable
7. All journalists should be made to declare gifts above Rs 100 to their company
8. Accepting direct/indirect favours by journalists should be made a criminal offence
9. Investigative journalism should be encouraged
10. The amount of advertisements in a newspaper or on a news channel per day, should have a cap on it
11. Misleading advertisements should be banned
12. Online debates should be avoided if the channel is not able to maintain decency
13. Reporting of speculations and the slamming between political parties should be reduced
14. Content of positive and informative news needs to increase to about 70% of the broadcast
15. Community Engagement in all types of Media must be increased to improve content validation and reduce dependence on a single journalist.
16. Necessary steps should be taken against media houses owned by Foreigners, who tend to show India in poor light
17. Media should restrain itself from trying a person before courts do so
18. There should be a limit to the number of news channels operating
19. DD/Prasar Bharati should be made autonomous like BBC in Britain. If DD provides unbiased and high quality content, then others will be forced to follow suit
20. It should be compulsory for all news channels to show social awareness programs on weekly basis more
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View all 129 comments Below 129 comments
If it is possible and in the purview of our Indian Government to frame a rule and Code of Media industry that strictly follow and adhere the holy Indian Heritage while covering and exhibiting to the Crores of Indians just like D. D. Channels allover India , there could be the best Achievement in keeping Indian Culture and heritage un-diluted and un-directed towards other external country's Culture and heritage. more
May 28
One must see the DD news. to get the real essence of news and for entertainment one can see the other channels, though new are very rarely biased since it is governed by prevailing govt but majority of time its value for time. more
May 28
Media's role is not just to report but also help in opinion building. Not everyone in our country is educated and learned. merely presenting facts doesn't help. At one end the editorials in newspapers recommend reforms, liberalisation, ease of doing business etc. yet they give out a full blown coverage to all the anti-reform rallies and protests by opposition parties. The recent instance of an entire session of Parliament going waste because of mindless protests by the opposition parties is a case in point. Why shouldnt the media houses call a spade a spade and educate the nation that the opposition parties are wasting precious time for no big reason except to massage their egos. I think our PM should also invite the media houses to help the government in educating and informing the citizens so that policy paralysis can be completely done away with more
Apr 15
Media should behave responsibly. They should abstain from sensationalism. The reporting should be unbiased, factual, immediate. The television debates should not take place. The debate should be to let each one talk his opinion and let others counter or give their views. Real investigative reporting can be allowed. It is actually the televised media that is at fault in India. Too many news channels make them indulge in sensationalism and irresponsible. The rights of Individual should be strengthened. The individual rights need protection. more
Apr 15
I think Media should be used to mobilize any cause affecting majority of people. Discussion about the cause and awareness to mass can be best achieved using all forms of media. MUDRA (Micro Unit Development and refinance Agency)for example is an excellent initiative requiring maximum coverage for general awareness. Sad to see that journalists waste time discussing trivial things and miss important issues. more
Apr 08
