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Wednesday, August 31, 2011
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Why didn’t the media address corruption before Anna?
Anant Rangaswami Aug 29, 2011
The free press in India failed India by not keeping the pressure on the other three estates – the legislative, the government and the judiciary – over decades. Reuters
We’ve questioned the acts of omission and commission by the government, by the Congress party and by politicians in general. We’ve debated the stand taken by Anna Hazare and the wisdom behind, and the appropriateness of the strategy employed by Hazare and his team. We’ve dissected every statement and action by all these worthies, we’ve questioned their intent and their commitment, we’ve looked for hidden agendas and we’ve rapped them on the knuckles for transgressions.
What about the role that media has played? Who puts the news media under a microscope to check if all is well?
News television is patting itself on the back on the contribution to a victory for Team Anna and, consequently, for the people of India.
The self-congratulation is misplaced; Anna Hazare’s movement was born because all news media, including television, had failed him – and the people of India.
A free press is one of the pillars of a democracy, the pillar that influences the legislature, the judiciary and the government. Has it played the role expected of it?
“Numerous observers have emphasized that a free press is valuable for democracy, for good governance, and for human development. This perspective is exemplified by Amartya Sen’s famous argument that in independent and democratic countries, the free press encourages government responsiveness to public concerns, by highlighting cases of famine and natural disasters. “…in the terrible history of famines in the world, no substantial famine has ever occurred in any independent and democratic country with a relatively free press,” says a Harvard study on the role of the press in democracy.
Media has failed as the Fourth Estate. Reuters
In theory, we have a free press inIndia, and the fourth estate should have encouraged ‘government responsiveness to public concerns’ and should have helped build ‘the public consciousness needed to bring about change’. The free press in India failed India in this instance, by not keeping the pressure on the other three estates – the legislative, the government and the judiciary – over decades.
While media certainly needs to be congratulated on cornering various governments on the larger cases of corruption, such as the 2G scam, the CWG scam, the mining scam and so on, they paid scant attention to the culture of corruption that directly affected the common man – a constituency that Anna Hazare understands well.
The failure of the news media in this area was what Anna Hazare spotted in the first place – and the power of the media witnessed in the scams highlighted above is one that he both recognised and understood. In effect, for the common man, Anna Hazare became the Fourth Estate, using news media, firstly, to raise awareness about the issue of corruption and, secondly, to force the legislative and the government into acting on the issue.
None of this would have succeeded unless Anna Hazare had understood the pulse of the people in his choice of cause. Hazare saw what media failed to see. As a result, the media coverage on the Lokpal Bill over the past few months, but more so since Anna Hazare’s fast began, has followed a timeline and an agenda set by Anna Hazare. Anna Hazare became the cynosure of all eyes, the embodiment of trust and honesty – and the one that the populace could rely on in their battle against corruption.
Did they even know that they had a battle? No, not till Hazare told them.
This is where media has failed as the Fourth Estate. The media should have highlighted the issue in a sustained campaign years ago, pressurizing the political classes into action. They should have created and presented their version of a Lokpal Bill. They should have forced the houses of Parliament to debate the issue.
Instead, a media without power or influence is the tail of the dog, wagged by all those who can give them more eyeballs, be they politicians or representatives of civil society. Like the politician, the media could not ‘occupy’ the position of being honest and caring about the people. Where were they (as far as corruption was concerned) all these years?
So it will stay in the present instance – unless news media does what it is supposed to do. Instead of relaxing during a break between acts in this riveting drama, media must help citizens understand the nuances (and differences) between the various versions of the Lokpal Bill and, as a consequence, take a position on who is fighting their fight.
Going beyond the Lokpal Bill, news media needs to re-own the role that society defined for it. Not just the India that lives in the metros in comfortable houses, but the India that lives just above (and below) subsistence levels of income.
What are the issues that affect them the most? Anna Hazare himself has highlighted some: land policy, election-related corruption, education, and so on.
These – and others – are all opportunities for the Fourth Estate to demonstrate that they understand and fight for the causes of the common man. This is not simple; investments need to be made to first understand areas of the government and the legislature failing the common man, then to highlight these issues and their ramifications and, finally, to pressurise the government and law-makers into action.
Failure to do so will result in many Anna Hazares leading many causes across the country, defining agendas that are set and executed by them – and followed by the media.
That would be a sad commentary on the Fourth Estate.
Salman Khan
Salman: My father thinks my best is yet to come
Salman Khan is a phenomenon. He always was. There's no genre he hasn't attempted, he has an incredible fan following and he delivered some of the highest grossing films in the past couple of years.
Quite interestingly though, the star's father -- noted scriptwriter Salim Khan -- is of the opinion that his best is yet to come
In an exclusive interview with Sonil Dedhia, Salman raves about his film Bodyguard, shrugs off his disastrous previous pairing with Bodyguard co-star Kareena Kapoor, and clears the rumours about the Sanjay Dutt spat.
Your father Salim Khan has said that your best is yet to come.
If he says so, then I guess my best is yet to come.
After three blockbusters (Wanted, Dabangg and Ready), do you feel you have what it takes to deliver a blockbuster?
The audience has to love my work for a film to be a hit. It is they who declare the film a hit or a flop. We make films so that people get entertained. Cinema is the biggest form of entertainment in India and I am just giving what my fans and the audience wants.
Did the success of Wanted and Dabangg prompt you to release Bodyguard on Eid?
Bodyguard was ready and the best date to release was Eid. It's all about releasing a film on a good day or during the festive season when people are happy and want to go out with their family and friends and want to enjoy.
Image: Salman Khan
Bollywood cheers Anna Hazare
Shilpa Shetty tweeted: 'Heartfelt salutations and gratitude to Annaji and all the people with him 4 the selfless fight they've put up on our behalf. RESPECT!'
Preity Zinta called it a golden day: 'Today is a golden day 4 each Indian ! Its now r job 2 see that we do not lose momentum & finish what V started with Anna. JAI HIND !'
Punit Malhotra wrote: 'Finally Anna won.. finally the people of India won. A 74yr old man showed us the way, we need to walk on it... Now let's take this forward:)'
Mahesh Bhatt, who was against Anna's movement, tweeted his wishes: 'Congrats to Anna. The Govt did not have the moral courage to lock horns with his movement because their hands were stained with blood.'
Lara Dutta praised Anna: 'Anna's fight is in every home. This will impact every1 of us for years to come!In my life I hope I'm able 2 keep this alive in my small way.'
Karan Johar tweeted: 'The peoples hurricane hits the government!! And there is no shelter this time...ANNA HAZARE is a storm to reckon with!! RESPECT!!!'
Bipasha Basu also cheered Anna: 'Anna is our true leader n his spirit hs made evry1 conscious tht v cn do away with corruption n need nt accept it as a part of r lives. Big step forward for India n all of us.'
Shabana Azmi applauded him: 'To a new beginning. Let's applaud Anna for leading the people of India into a nonviolent show of strength.I'm proud to be an Indian. Jai Ho.'
Hema Malini wrote: 'People power is recognised by the parliament. Victory to both. Anna s dream has come true.'
Abhishek Bachchan tweeted: 'One man unites an entire nation. Peacefully
Image: Shilpa Shetty
Photographs: David Moir/Reuters
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Sunday, August 28, 2011
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