Media's political leaning influences society

Be it infiltration, terrorism, enemy countries encroaching our territories, scams, corruption, exposing leaders, the news disappears as quickly as it appeared making many smell rat. These issues are not isolated as even with rape cases, high profile murders, defense scams - media channels that aired these stories with a loud scream for two to three days, suddenly go silent on the the issues. To top it, many media channels heap praises on selective parties irrespective of the scams and corruption charges against them, at the same time taking on other parties regarding similar issues. Same is the case during elections where different media channels come out with different surveys supporting parties of interest.

Sometimes people expect the impossible. For instance, people expect the Police to be immune to what is happening around them and not be influenced by the trends. When they see corruption that is rampant all around them, how can any reasonable man expect them to be immune to its temptations? And people tempt them all the time : for instance, just if they close their eyes for a moment, they would be very rich.

We see reports that some in the Higher Judiciary also could not resist the lure of lucre. Lower judiciary is reported to be somewhat more tempted by it. We all along believing that the Armed forces were standing firm against corruption, come what may. Recent events, however, have disillusioned us about them too.

The Press is witness to all the goings–on, and not only are they stand witness to corruption, but they have to report it too. We have the ridiculous desire that we may all be corrupt, the Press should be independent and above all temptations. How ridiculous is our wish? Press consists of people drawn from our corrupt society with very lax morals towards everything. Could we expect them to be insulated from what is happening and not be biased? Right from childhood, we are seeing how one can achieve something. Right from the school days, they see how easy it is to copy (sometimes with parental assistance) and get top grades. And how foolish is it to fall by the wayside in the competitive world with “supposed” adherence to morals?

Press people are not immune because they also are human. They have their own slants which they build into their coverage of events, personalities etc. We abhor blatant distortions, but expect a reasonable slant. We discount the reports and filter out what we think does not sound right. The readers also have their biases, and take it for granted that there is no totally independent press. A glass half-full is as correct reporting as a glass half-empty. Which reporting is wrong? We recognize that the press cannot be entirely independent. It also has to survive and it has to pander to all sorts of pressures. The only thing they can ensure is that they do not succumb to blatant partisan stances. Biases are inevitable because the media persons do not work in a vacuum.

There is no doubt that Press has its own biases. It can’t escape, being run by humans and not by saints. Even saints our Puranas tell us, cannot escape from their own preferences. And prejudices ( though very limited). So before we expect media to be clean from any political bias and corrupt practices, sea change should come in individuals and then society.