For real scoundrels, look beyond media

T J S George First Published : 20 Feb 2011 11:01:00 PM ISTLast Updated : 21 Feb 2011 11:27:10 AM IST
Does the media distort facts? The Prime Minister thinks so. By “focussing excessively” on scam after scam, does the media spoil India’s image? The Prime Minister thinks so. For the leader of a government that is neck-deep in scams, it is natural to think as the Prime Minister does. But that does not make it right. In fact the Prime Minister is hopelessly wrong.
Manmohan Singh was in conversation with television editors. A great deal can be said in criticism of news channels. Generally speaking, they are amateurish, childish in their “me first” claims, irritating in their competitive sensationalism, more irritating in their loudness, superficial, repetitive and often plain unprofessional. But, like newspapers, they are essentially mirrors.
News journalism may have its weaknesses, but functionally it merely reflects the reality around it. It does not generate governmental corruption, it only reports it. If scams demoralise the nation and spoil the image of the country, the blame lies squarely with politicians and officials and fixers who produce the scams and benefit from them. The Prime Minister must attack the scamsters, not the mirrors.
Actually, the media is doing an incomparably valuable national service by bringing corruption to public attention. After all, if the media had resolved not to do anything that would “spoil India’s image,” what would have happened? The shame of India would have spread anyway as the world would have known that India was a country where a roll of toilet paper could be sold for `4,000, and where decisions on spectrum allocations were made in Chennai’s Gopalapuram area, and where there were billionaires with more illegal funds in Swiss banks than billionaires in the top five countries put together. It is the people of India who would have remained in the dark about the extent of their rulers’ criminalities.
Worse, India would have sunk deeper into corruption since the corrupt would have been emboldened by the fact that they would never be exposed. The media, for all its excesses, has put the fear of god into the hearts of the criminally inclined politician, bureaucrat and “crony capitalist”. That even their private conversations may someday become public property is one of the best disincentives we have against corruption. The Prime Minister would have been smart to acknowledge this instead of suggesting that the media was negative in its attitude.
It is true that the media also has developed a taste for corruption. It has a long way to go before it can be called mature and creative. But even in its present three-fourth-baked state, it performs the function of a conscientious opposition. Without the media playing this role, Indian democracy would lose much of its substance especially since the formal opposition in Parliament is playing a petty obstructionist’s role.
Both in Delhi and in the various states, the Opposition’s role is to oppose — oppose for the sake of opposing. If the Government says the sun rises in the West, the Opposition will say: No, it rises in the North. In no other democracy is Parliament’s functioning completely blocked as a form of Opposition politics. Even on urgently needed social and electoral reforms, they never show the unanimity they bring out when their salary increase bills come up for passing. When corruption cases come up, different parties take different positions as all are entrenched in corruption in different ways.
In such an environment the media becomes the only reliable forum for actionable information and democratic mobilisation. Even those who get the wrong end of the stick really have no reason to grumble. As Ram Mohan Roy explained: “A government conscious of rectitude of intention cannot be afraid of public scrutiny by the Press since this instrument can be equally well employed as a weapon of defence”.
Those who are beyond defence cannot of course use the weapon. But Manmohan Singh should have known that the real scoundrels who spoil India’s image are outside the media.
Topics:Manmohan Singh, media
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We did not expect anything better from the PM who, as the Finance Minister, declared that he can not lose his sleep for market aberrations during Harshad Metha scam. It is clear that he has not woken up from the slumber and scam after scam go on happening. By S Subramanian
2/25/2011 5:25:00 PM Various statistics may claim differences, but it is true, that India has more than 50% of the population below poverty line (i.e.) those who have less than 20 rupees a day for their survival. But then, there are, their political representatives, winners and losers, who gamble with a minimum of 15 lakh rupees for assembly and 40 lakh for parliamentary elections expenses on record, actual may be far from the accounts, they may reveal. There may be a few of them, honest public service interested, but with the size of corruptions unfolding, makes us think if the election expenses, gamble, should be permitted at all. Late Shri. P.V.Narasimha Rao opened our eyes that no member of parliament will topple any government; vote against the government in ‘No confidence motion’ even on grave corruption charges against any minister, or even on issues involving national security, if the local area development fund is allotted to those who do not have any other means to encash their position as re By K.S.Nagarajan.
2/25/2011 12:41:00 PM A veteran writer must be surely aware t veracity as to facts is differnt from objectivity and bias is not a pathology of media but its inherent characteristic.Collection of facts, their marshalling in a fashion leadinding to the desired conclusion etc iinvolves bias. I think the mainstream press also known as secular press is biased against Hindus especially the forward castes.In the long march thro< institutions which G RAMSCI described is a reality in india.. Propaganda can do great harm and we see its happening . kurup By s.kurup
2/23/2011 5:52:00 PM Media’s View of the (political) scoundrels. The point of view given by TJS George (For real…media, dated 20/2/11) is so meaningful. The responsibility of the media is clearly pointed out in his words- ‘it merely reflects the reality around, it does not generate governmental corruption’. The great so called leaders (cheaters) should realize that their wonderful cheating and the enormous gaining could be understood by many, but they are not getting the chance to bring their scoundrel actions in to light. That responsibility is carried by the media. Both the scoundrels and sufferers should aware of this specific point of view of TJS George. Ms. G.Philomina. Changanassery. 22/2/2011 By Philomina.
2/22/2011 10:46:00 AM If the PM really thinks that media distorts information hwy his office does not write openly then and there the distortions as he says asking the concerned newspaper for a written explanation? Being in power and having a name Dr MMS thinks he can distort the public attention from his personal weakness to be assertive when he has to be and the corruption under his leadership> This is trying to hide a full pumpkin in a bwl of rice. I commend the author for his impeccable article. Thanks By Rangesh RAM
2/21/2011 9:12:00 PM By George, you have done it. Precise, clear, pointed and most important fair and just. NIE readers welcome you back, George. By S. Krishnamoorthy
2/21/2011 11:30:00 AM Manmohan has given a lesson to the media how to go about their jobs.They should now realise, trying to shield Sonia and co.from exposure , joining the band of sycophants ,encouraging Sonia co.continue in their ways.What is the reward the media got from the establishment? Instead of praise from the PM for their protective shield.they have been found fault for not extolling the Govt's performance.Atleast now,let them do a conscionsious job By SIVARAMAN
2/21/2011 8:53:00 AM TJS has arrived back with a bang to NIE. What a wonderful article full of quotable quotes, that perfectly describes our visual media with a not a word more or less in an apt manner! Hope our rulers care to read this master piece to know where they stand as though a mirror is held before them , especially, Dr. MMS, to know that it will not help hereafter to push media around. Indira Gandhi burnt her fingers by going far enough to do just this by clamping emergency. The way PM told media friends to stop exposing more is not very much different from it- at least in content- without, actually declaring 'E'. Thanks!. By KANNAN
2/20/2011 7:10:00 PM Dr.Singh's silence was the important message in the TV editor's interview. If he is responsible for the appointment of Raja for the coalition dharma then so he is responsible for the S band Antrix Dewas deal putting pressure on government to send insat to cater to Dewas, so he is responsible for the appointment of CVC. But as Dr. Swamy feared if he is to be replaced things will be worse. But people have understood the art of Dr.Singh's managing "Trust" vote better than JMM way on 123, his skill of dodging left leaders till "Trust" vote driving Babri Masjid wedge between BJP & left, managing "Cut" motion with CBI, managing "No Appeal" to Argentine's court against "Mr. Q". When the whole world curse Bush for the fake "WMD" Dr. Singh conveyed that Indians loved Bush. So read his silence. If he learnt the art from Shri. P.V.N, his mentor, poor Dr.Singh lost positive portion of his grur's lesson. By K.S.nagarajan.
2/20/2011 4:51:00 PM What is our country's image abroad? Is it otherwise good. If the image is not good, is media responsible for it? I had heard many years ago that foreigners' belief was that India was a land of beggers, snake charmers etc. We ordinary Indians do not watch foreign TV channels nor do we read foreign news papers. So we do not know what is our image abroad. I feel we can safely add 'scamsters' to the words beggers etc. Since Dr. Singh did not have any defence for the scams, corruption etc., he invoked the illusion of good image abroad. Dr. Singh can do a lot to achieve a good image for India by taking strict and timely action against corrupt. And the first head to roll shall be that of present CVC. By Shivashankar K Nair
2/20/2011 1:40:00 PM PM asking the media to have +ve stories in the name of nation compares to the same theme some of the middle east countries autocrats bring up to keep power. Without media, no scam would have come out - image Sonia (2G,CWG,ISRO,Adarsh,Black Money), Sharad Power(Lavasa), Karunanidhi(2G),Maywait(whole of U.p.), etc.We didn't expect this kind of behavior from Manmohan Singh - one could expect this from Lalu Prasad Yadav. By sa
2/20/2011 9:54:00 AM The writer's ire as a nationally honoured columnist is understandable.Press is a part of governance as Fourth Estate.The Prime Minister as the head of Executive ought to have been thoughtful of casting aspersions on media. I agree with the writer in that it is the media that sounds the alarm when the aam aadmi is about to be swallowed by self-serving politicians much as the big fish swallow the small fish.Of late one aspect of our Prime Minister is clear beyond any doubt: He could not be reasoned with. By G.Rajaram.
2/20/2011 5:15:00 AM Post your comments *