Ghazanfar Abbas, IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, May 6: Senior journalists from various media outlets expressed their deep concern over the fast deterioration in standards of journalism in the country.
“Today media wants to teach nationalism to all and those who oppose it are branded as anti-nationalist. Democratic space is shrinking. We all should ponder over why media is not asking right questions,” said veteran Hindi journalist Anand Swaroop Verma.
“This pathetic situation of journalism is the outcome of seeds sowed in 1980s. It has not suddenly emerged in the Modi Govt.,” he said while speaking at a National Seminar entitled “Media – Freedom and Accountability”, organized by Media Vigil at Rajendra Bhawan in Delhi on Saturday.
“Since fourth pillar has now become dead, so I think we need to form a fifth pillar to monitor the fourth pillar. And this fifth pillar should be in the form of movement. When the media is spreading lies, to speak truth is a revolution itself,” said Verma.
Media Researcher Dilip Khan also lamented shortage of content in them media.
“Ownership pattern has changed in media. The number of Media outlets has increased but the content has declined. We need to make policy over ownership,” he said.
Media critic and academician Anil Chamadia said: “Commercial media is anti-constitutional. We want media according to the constitution. We cannot do anything swiftly but certainly can plan something concretely.”
Presiding over the event, senior journalist Seema Mustafa said “media is fourth pillar as journalists should speak for the oppressed and the poor. But today we have become propaganda machine of Govt.”
“Earlier we would teach that while covering conflict, don’t think yourself as a Hindu or Muslim. Today, journalists are paid for presenting morphed news. Instead of spreading fraternity and peace, they talk hatred,” said Seema, Chief Editor of The Citizen news portal.
If journalists had presented the real picture of the country, we would not have been pondering over its role today.
“Without the codes of ethics, what’s the use of code of journalism? We need to bring back accountability and responsibility and rebuild new journalism,” she said.
