biased media is a threat to democracy essay upsc

[Answered]Critically examine the role of media as a watchdog in a democracy.

Media constitutes the 4 th pillar of democracy. It plays an important role in keeping democracy alive and thriving. The role of the media is vital as a watchdog for uncovering errors and wrongdoings in the democracy. The Press Freedom Index, released by Reporters without Borders in 2019, ranked India 140 out of 180 countries. This reflects less freedom to media in the country impacting its role as watchdog.

Role of media as a watchdog in a democracy:

• Reporting: Media reporting on public affairs and investigations into wrongdoing in the administration of public affairs is a must for a healthy democracy. This includes exposing frauds or corruption cases that personally benefit politicians.
• Audit: Media plays an important role in auditing government policies and spending. An unbiased media is important for transparent reporting.
• Awareness: Media is important to educate people on issues that are of utmost importance for society. E.g. Increasing number of rape cases are threat to society and reflect state failure to stop it. Media help in generating awareness about these social issues.
• Accountability: Media ensures accountability of the government by exposing the bad state of democracy. By playing its watchdog role, the media help bring about reforms and in the long term, assist in creating a culture of transparency and government accountability.
• Platform for debate: An election cannot be deemed democratic unless the public is fully able to participate. As such, the media are vital in ensuring that there is a transparent platform for debate and participation of the representatives in various national debates and discussion which allow citizens to choose accordingly.
• Bridge: The media is a bridge between the citizens and the government. It help ciitizen’s voice to reach government and help in highlighting various issues in the society.
• Informal opposition: Media also acts as an informal opposition, especially in case of an opposition less in numbers in the legislature. It criticise and debate on various government policies and schemes.

Various challenges:

• Censorship: The political leaders encourage censorship of media. Various efforts are made to control and contain media through stringent norms and regulations.
• Sedition law: Section 124a of IPC under which sedition is punishable by life imprisonment endanger the freedom of journalists. This lead to fear among journalists to work freely,
• Corruption: Paid news, advertorials and fake news are threat to free and unbiased media. All this leads to favouritism and hinders unbiased reporting.
• Political influence: Corporate and political power has overwhelmed large sections of the media, both print and visual, which lead to vested interests and destroy freedom.

Way forward:

• Legislation: Although India has the Press Council of India and specific regulations, the country needs more detailed law regarding the media to protect not only the freedom of expression and speech but also journalists’ safety.
• Strengthening justice system: Strengthening the courts, the police, and the justice system, and the rule of law is important to provide adequate protection for journalists.
• Better regulation: Efforts must be made to enable regulations that would lower the barriers to media ownership and reduce concentration of media ownership.
• Independent agencies: There is a need to establish independent press councils, media watch groups, Ombudsmen, and other media self‐regulatory bodies autonomous from the government.
• Incentivise: Government must Institute awards and other forms of recognition for excellence in watchdog reporting.

India is the biggest democracy in the world and the press and media play an important role in keeping the democracy thriving. Media should be neutral in airing views, as it is a vital link between government and Indian citizens. Media is thus necessary for smooth functioning of democracy.

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Essays: Biased Media is a Real Threat to Indian Democracy (August 2024) | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

"Whoever controls the media, controls the mind." – Jim Morrison

Media plays an essential role in any democratic society by informing the public, shaping opinion, and holding power accountable. However, the increasing presence of biased media poses a significant danger to the democratic foundation of India. In recent times, Indian media has faced criticism for biased reporting , sensationalism , and lack of objectivity .

The media, often called the fourth pillar of democracy alongside the executive, legislative, and judiciary, is meant to inform citizens, foster debate, and act as a watchdog. India's diverse media landscape, spanning print, broadcast, and digital platforms, has evolved since independence. Unfortunately, the rise of biased media outlets has blurred the line between news and propaganda , endangering democracy.

These biased outlets often prioritize sensationalism over serious news, using inflammatory rhetoric to attract audiences. This contributes to misinformation and the polarization of society along religious, ethnic, and political lines. Such reporting can sway public opinion , influence elections, and damage the credibility of democratic institutions.

Various challenges like political pressure , corporate influence , and legal threats worsen media bias in India. The concentration of media ownership within a few conglomerates limits diverse viewpoints and encourages self-censorship . These issues prevent the media from properly fulfilling its democratic duty of holding the powerful accountable.

Political influence over media is common in India, with governments often attempting to shape the narrative and suppress dissenting voices . Media outlets are sometimes manipulated by political parties , with advertisements being used as leverage to suppress the truth and promote fake news .

Corporate interests also heavily influence media through ownership and advertising revenue . For instance, the Reliance Group , a major Indian conglomerate, controls several media outlets. Critics argue that Reliance's business interests may bias media coverage to align with their corporate agenda, thus compromising journalistic integrity .

The impact of biased media on Indian democracy is profound. It erodes public trust, encourages cynicism , and undermines the pluralism that defines Indian society. By shaping public opinion and manipulating elections , biased media threatens the very foundation of democratic norms and values.

During the COVID-19 pandemic , the media spread misleading stories about the death toll and the government’s response, exacerbating the crisis. Twitter censorship of critical tweets and pro-government outlets blaming farmers' protests for oxygen shortages distorted reality and deepened mistrust in the media. This undermined their role in holding power accountable. Furthermore, attacks on journalists who expose corruption or criticize political leaders endanger press freedom .

The case of Sonam Wangchuk , an environmentalist who recently undertook a 21-day fast in Ladakh to raise awareness about the region’s environmental issues, saw little coverage from major media outlets, despite the significance of his protest and the support from local socio-political bodies like the Kargil Democratic Alliance .

The media frenzy surrounding Sushant Singh Rajput’s case is another example of sensationalism overshadowing important national issues. The relentless media coverage turned his tragic death into an endless spectacle, focusing on sensational allegations rather than the real tragedy. Meanwhile, other crucial issues in the country were ignored. The Bombay High Court later acknowledged the damage caused by trial by media , which obstructed fair criminal investigations. The role of media is to inform , not to manipulate public perception.

The practice of "paid news" , where media outlets accept money from political parties to publish favorable stories or suppress negative coverage, undermines journalism's integrity and erodes public trust. This practice is especially common during elections, as seen in the run-up to the 2014 Indian general elections.

One-sided media coverage of the CAA-NRC protests misled the minorities , leading to widespread protests. The media played a significant role in shaping public perception of the CAA, often using sensationalism to focus on specific narratives, polarizing society and spreading misinformation .

Addressing biased media requires collective action from policymakers , journalists , civil society , and the public . Stronger regulations and mechanisms are needed to hold media outlets accountable for ethical breaches . Media literacy programs should be introduced to educate citizens about critical thinking and the importance of discerning reliable sources. Independent media watchdogs should be empowered to monitor content and handle public complaints. Additionally, promoting diversity in the media through initiatives like community media can counterbalance the influence of biased media conglomerates.

Biased media is a grave threat to Indian democracy by undermining transparency , accountability , and pluralism . Its sensationalism and misinformation subvert democratic processes and deepen social divisions. To protect press freedom and uphold media integrity , reforms must be enacted to root out media bias. Upholding the highest standards of journalistic ethics and promoting media diversity are crucial to ensuring India remains true to its democratic ideals.

"Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth." — Mahatma Gandhi

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Biased Media is a real threat to Indian Democracy..

JOURNALISM.., the tool by which a common man knows about the global society. In other words, it is an extent of knowledge. The Transparent medium has now become one way mirror. The lack of originality and spam of unwanted content in media created mistrustfulness over that. The sharing of fake news without analysing by us in social platforms and the content which stimulates violence, are even shared in social platform where the journalism’s role is much lesser is also a threat to democracy. Let us discuss about what created this and what it leads to? ...

How spam threat to democracy?

The need to telecast 24/7 news has put pressure over the media. The fresh content is not readily available whole day. Thus they moved to cover even the unwanted regional and sensational news. The lack of time failed to analyse the originality of content and its effects in society. Caste related issues and mob lynching are some examples. This is perfectly used by some politicians and powerful people; they use it as a screen and do some large activities on the background without the knowledge of media. Thus the spam and sensational content turned the way of coverage and finally blocks the knowledge over that content.

TRP – An enemy behind

Competitiveness in real world kills the democracy. A fair example is from 2012 Delhi Gang Rape case. The competition among the channels had made them to release the identity of the victim and kills her more and more. And also in case of Wing.Cdr.Abhinanthan case. Since it is a rating and totally depends on views, much sensational and unwanted information are leaking and released in social platform. Hence form an imbalance in the society.

Freedom of press – unwanted at certain

The blockage of two news channels by the GOI over the coverage of ammunition stockpiled in pathankot airbase during the attack is a perfect example for the misuse of freedom of press. According to experts, it is better to keep secret of defence related information, because it may challenge the security of country. Hence freedom of press should be limited at certain cases.

Sensation collapses democracy

Covering of news or specifying symbolically or through other representation of caste, religion and other separatist movement is unfair. Because during telecast it may have lot of chances to support or justify over one-side and left the rest. And also a situation like mob lynching needs not to be spread, because it can increase the tension. It should only be taken to the eyes of the government. Ex: Anti-sikh riot 1984, killing of innocent people by misunderstanding them as kidnapers in India last year, violence on Tamil nadu -Karnataka people during kaveri river water dispute, etc... are some examples.

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Media Bias and Democracy in India

By  janani mohan.

• June 28, 2021

This article was originally published in South Asian Voices.

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages out of control in India, many are rightly focusing on the content of stories on the death toll and months of lockdown. The lack of journalistic integrity behind some of the stories deepens this grim situation. In April,  reports emerged  that, at the request of the Indian government, Twitter censored 52 tweets criticizing the government’s handling of the pandemic. Meanwhile, pro-government TV channels  blamed  the farmers’ protests for limited oxygen supplies for COVID-19 patients, though supplies were  actually scarce  due to poor public health infrastructure. This reporting is not only misleading and traumatic to those affected by the pandemic, but also poses a major threat to India’s vibrant democracy.

Even before the pandemic, media bias in India existed across the largest newspapers throughout the country, and political forces shape this bias. For example, funds from the government are critical to many newspapers’ operations and budgets, and the current Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) government has previously  refused to advertise  with newspapers that do not support its initiatives. This pressure leads media to endorse government policies, creating unbalanced reporting where media bias can affect political behavior in favor of the incumbent. Many media outlets enjoy a symbiotic relationship with the government, in turn receiving attention, funding, and prominence. These trends damage India’s democracy and also put journalists critical of the government in danger, threatening their right to physical safety.

Funds from the government are critical to many newspapers’ operations and budgets, and the current Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) government has previously refused to advertise with newspapers that do not support its initiatives.

Media Bias in India

While the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated media bias in India, it is hardly a new phenomenon. A  study  of 30 Indian newspapers and 41 Indian TV channels with the largest viewership rates in the country confirms the existence of rampant media bias during a two-year period from 2017 to 2018. 1

The study relies on rating editorial articles that focus on religious, gender, and caste issues as either liberal, neutral, or conservative; and then compiling these scores by each newspaper to find the overall bias in each outlet. The results unsurprisingly and unfortunately show the consistent existence of media bias—for example, except for eight newspapers, the papers all express biases far from neutral. And this bias consistently correlates with viewers in India expressing similarly biased social, economic, and security attitudes.

What this suggests is either that biases in the media shape viewer attitudes or Indians are viewing outlets that align with their pre-existing views. Meanwhile, political parties capitalize on this bias to influence public attitudes and further their own power. The BJP  spends  almost USD $140 million on publicity per year, with 43 percent of this expenditure focusing specifically on print ads in newspapers. Government advertisements serve as a financial lever for influencing media content and public opinion. For example, during the year leading to the 2019 elections, newspapers that received more advertisement revenue from the BJP were likelier to espouse more conservative ideology and to have more conservative readers.

Bias versus Democracy

This ability of media bias to influence political support in India can contribute significantly to democratic backsliding by harming journalists, preventing freedom of expression and government accountability, and influencing voters. Media bias in itself causes democratic backsliding because the media neither holding the government accountable nor informing the public about policies that strengthen the incumbent’s power can increase authoritarian practices.

In addition, government efforts to constrain the media harms journalists, undemocratically violating citizens’ rights and physical safety. Freedom House  rates  India as only two on a four-point scale for whether there is a “free and independent media,” because of “attacks on press freedom…under the Modi government.” In fact, the government  imprisoned several journalists  in 2020 who reported critically on Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s response to the pandemic. The crackdown on journalists engendered an unsafe environment for free reporting, a feature of many authoritarian states.

A biased media also prevents citizens from receiving information that might be essential to public wellbeing by filtering information through a lens that supports government interests first. When the BJP cracked down on coverage of COVID-19 last year, journalists were  unable to disseminate  critical information to Indians. This included where migrants suffering from the sudden lockdown could receive necessities—information that could save lives. Notably, these crackdowns also meant an absence of reporting criticizing the government’s response to the pandemic. In a democratic society, a critical press is essential for holding the government accountable for its actions and motivating it to change its practices.  

Media bias plays an influencing role at the voting booth as propaganda can skew voter decisions and perceptions of what is true.

Finally, media bias plays an influencing role at the voting booth as propaganda can skew voter decisions and perceptions of what is true. During India’s 2014 general elections, the BJP advertised more than the Congress Party and voters exposed to more media were  likelier  to vote for the BJP. To influence voters, media bias often utilizes inflammatory messaging to convince more people to vote, selective information to bias what voters believe about the efficacy of the candidates, and appeasement to convince voters that they will personally benefit from voting a certain way. For example, a TimesNow interview of PM Modi before the 2019 elections  made it seem  that Modi’s economic policies—widely criticized as ineffectual—were successful.

From Media Bias to Media Neutrality

Although government measures are exacerbating media bias, the media retains some agency and could work to limit the influence of politics on reporting. Currently, 36 percent of daily newspapers  earn over half  of their total income from the government of India and most major TV stations have owners who served as politicians themselves or who had family members in politics. Although it would be difficult to convince larger outlets to participate since they benefit from their government backing, smaller independent outlets can start this movement towards neutrality. Many small outlets already eschew government funding and report with less biased views. These publications in India therefore deserve more attention and more support to reduce media bias.

While India has some of the  highest circulation  of newspapers in the world, it also unfortunately has high media bias rates and one of the  lowest press freedom rankings  for democracies. This media bias can contribute to democratic backsliding and must be addressed by media outlets. Only then can media in India properly do its job—serving to inform, not influence the public.

The author would like to acknowledge Dr. Pradeep Chhibber, Pranav Gupta, and UC Berkeley for supporting her research measuring media bias in India. All perspectives in this article are her own.

This article was originally published in  South Asian Voices.

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BIASED MEDIA: A THREAT TO INDIAN DEMOCRACY

• Subject-wise Law Notes
• March 30, 2020

In the mass media era, the role of the media was universally regarded as fundamental to the proper functioning of the democratic state: the media’s capacity to provide information freely to all citizens ensured they had equal access to the democratic process. Media is being considered as the fourth pillar of democracy . It is easy to demonstrate how the flow of information could be manipulated and the power of the media abused. The modern era seems to be the of a media . In this world of technology we often come through fake news, hate speech, revenge porn and so on. In this article, I want to discuss some aspects of what we have got from the digital mediums so far, with a particular focus on the changing relationship between the media and democracy – and within that, the role of news, information and the practice of journalism. Media is being considered as “Silent revolution” in 21st century.

I INTRODUCTION

“Just because something is not a lie does not mean that it is not deceptive . A liar knows that he is a liar, but one who speaks mere portions of truth in order to deceive is a craftsman of destruction.”

– Criss Jami

Media has played a significant role in establishing democracy throughout the world including India. Since 18th century the media has been instrumental in generating awareness and in spreading knowledge across the masses especially in the American Independence movement and the French Revolution . Media did the same work for India also . Media has played a very critical role even in colonial India. Media is like an eye of an eagle which keeps an eye on the activities of a state.

In our Independence media did the same work. The fallacies of British ruled government being good for the growth and development of colonial India were shattered by means of the media. Media has proved to be the sole source of information for our citizens (i.e. our Indian brothers) of colonial India to become aware of the arbitrariness and brutality of the British Colonial rule. Media played very significant role in communicating the non- humanitarian acts to the people of India. Media is considered as the fourth pillar of democracy along with Executive , legislation and Judiciary and rightly so.[1]Media was not only used after independence but before independence also. From pre- independence India where Mahatma Gandhi used journals “ Young India” and “Harijan” to communicate is message to the people of his country and also to organize National Movement in the country at the wider level. But today we use different/ newer method/media like social media.

II WHAT DOES DEMOCRACY MEAN ?

The world democracy has been conveniently interpreted as the right to vote. In a study , Ober has analysed the word “Democracy”. The origin of the word democracy is Greek word ,a combination of Demos (the people) and kratos (power), thus meaning “the power of the people” which, in turn , means “majority rule” by the people or their elected representatives. It is generally construed as the power to vote and elect a government.

However, Ober ( 2008) discuss how the word democracy actually means “capacity to do things” and not just “majority rule” . It is the power to be able to participate in the democratic process of a country , and not just power to vote a popular government to power. In democracy, every citizen has a right to freedom of expression. This also means that one can express in without the fear of any repercussion and without the fear of authority, and that the citizen and the authority are on an equal platform during the changes.[2] In short, in a democracy all citizens have equal right to voice their concerns, and to speak their mind.

In the recent elections 2019 Lok Sabha election it is apt to say that although role of media has undergone massive changes it still remains a critical pillar in the Indian democratic system . Media has played its very important role very well. However, it is necessary for the progression of media it is necessary that media of that should be free from any constraint and ill-pressure. However, the Independence of this crucial fourth pillar has often been threatened which has led to the doubts about its reliability and authenticity. Press censorship during the 1975 National Emergency to the more recent shutdown of a news channel during reporting of the 2016 Pathankot attack and Pulwama attack show restricted press freedom , with NGO reporters without borders ranking .

India has been ranked 140 and its abuses score is 65.25 as compared to the 2018 which has decreased to -2 in World press freedom index . Index indicating the same the World Press Freedom Index takes into account factors like pluralism , self-censorship, media independence, transparency, violence against journalists and media persons. India is being criticized in world for its sensationalism and manipulation of the fact by selective portrayal of the audiences like mostly news is presented to the masses by concealing facts.

Social media has added to the Fire of Sensationalism. With the urgent need to know the information and dispense it amongst the masses first has often led to mis-reporting of fake news resulting in controversies and defamation in some cases. For example GPS chip in 500 and 2000 Rs. notes after demonetisation.

In common parlance social media is seen synonymous with Facebook , Twitter, WhatsApp, LinkedIn etc. However, social media goes beyond this and has a broader scope. It is an umbrella term that refers to various websites in application that enables users to create share content, interact and to participate in social networking and to put out their views on the social networking. Social media has been often described as a “Silent Revolution” of the “21st century”. Movements initiated from these platforms like – #MetooMovement , #BlackLivematters and various schemes of the Government of India also have been launched from these platforms and are communicated to the masses.

United Nations has made internet access a human right. Recently Supreme Court has declared right to Internet access as a Fundamental right of every Indian . It is said that social media is a light arm of anarchy, because it can be used as a measure to disturb the tranquility of any Nation and to a very extent this is true it affects the peace of a nation . Social media is being used by terror organisations like ISIS to fulfil their agenda and disturb the political and economic stability of the country as this affects very badly. Social media is being used by Isis to promote religious fundamentalism and favouritism in the country.[3]

Recently last year a scene of Bhojpuri was circulated in West Bengal which led to communal rights in society and polarisation of society . Social media is also used for spreading fake news deliberately so that a particular segment of people can benefit from that joke, rumours . For example few years back a news spread that there was lynching of north eastern people in Bangalore which resulted in mass Exodus from the Bangalore of north eastern people . Another rumour spread that there were some people who slaughtered cow and the public in fit of Rage of anger they lynched the people. Another incident that took place in up that there were some people abducting children. This rumour spreaded so fast that people without any reason targeted some people and burst their anger on another people .

Every political party use media selflessly to promote their policies agenda and illiciting support for their campaign. Social media also become a platform to glorify political leaders prior to elections. With no proper regulatory Framework in place for social media, this avenue is often violated to spread fake news , a tool for propaganda as well as foreign interference in domestic election. Social media sometime prove to be adda of some religious people as they are staunch followers of some particular group because of these views violence in society is there .[4]

Last year a guy in Mumbai try to resorted to suicide because he was threatened by people of religious Organisation own his views on a religious topic. If media can create a war between two parties it can create peace also . Indian government’s external affairs ministry did a tremendous job in providing relief to foreign citizens of the India. Another example is Delhi Metro which uses its Twitter handle to inform the open and closure of gates. Social media became the voice of voiceless people of the society .

Movements like #Metoomovement started which allowed the women to come and file a case against a sexual harassment at workplace. Jon Ranson has said that it has given voice to the voiceless people. Personalities like Nana Patekar ,director Harvey Weinstein and various personalities were there which were caught in this . Social media has played an important role in economic front social media is being used on all interfaces for the promotion in their products . Social media is a medium to raise a voice against government policies and social evils prevailing in a society . Now there has emerged a fifth pillar of a democracy i.e. Social Media.

Social media has become means of free speech and expression guaranteed under the article 19 of Indian constitution this can be manifested from the Supreme Court decision on right to internet as a fundamental right. Social media is proliferating a very good ideas and effecting both positively and negatively there is a need to regulate it . Government should come up with a legislation to regulate social media. Just like a car without the handle is of no use same is with these platforms if they are contolled they can prove to be very dangerous in future. There is need to focus on privacy front as well so that the data cannot be used as a threat to personal and national security. Awareness and awakening about use of social media in need to be increased specially among the youth so that they can maximize on positive front of social media and minimise its ill effect . Indeed social media is a double edged sword if not handled with care might cause harm to you badly . It has transformed the way thinking . it has led to violation of privacy, fake news .

In US where democracy is said to be started has also been in news due to its scandal in election.[5] The Cambridge Analytica scandal where in Facebook data was stolen and has been used to influence the people behaviour towards their respective candidates . Social media’s gruesome face has been seen in the US 2016 elections.[6] Media bias varies in its form sensationalism to story selection and placement as well as omission and selection of content while portraying a story. Often holistic view is deleted and biased extreme lables are promoted to define groups and politicians.[7]

Moreover a recent research project called Media Ownership Monitor carried out in India by reporters without borders and data leads has found excessive political control over media. And the news over which political parties have their influence loses its credibility . News reported within person’s pressure not only loses its credibility but also its authenticity.[8] Like it may not be suitable take a name of a news channel but there are various channels which are owned by the members of the party in power then how can we expect that the news provided by the channels will be given in an impartial manner and will be giving authentic matter. The gradual crippling of democracy is also evident from the concentration of media content in a few hands like 76% of Indians use social media and radio is also owned by the state so it is monopolised. Amartya Sen sees the media as a watchdog not just against corruption but also against disaster. He said “There has never been a famine in a functioning multiparty democracy .A free press and the practice of democracy contribute greatly to bringing out information that can have an enormous impact on policies for famine prevention a free press and an active political opposition constitute the best early-warning system a country threatened by famine could have .[9]

The key issue is the lack of proper regulation of media in India and toothless nature of the Press Council of India. The lack of regulation has increased cross holding and corporate and political lobbying and ownership. The increasing rate for TRP to get advertising revenues had further led to more sensationalized news with minimal forces on development like social welfare government schemes and awareness of the general masses with the rise of social media .

Urgent reforms are need of the hour to revamp the outdated regulation for media in India. When Press Council of India was formed in 1978, media only comprised of newspaper, journals, magazines and TV channels . With increase of internet social media platforms are at its peak so they must also be regulated within the same ambit . The Tamil Nadu government has initiated steps in this regard for social media accountability by proposing to link Aadhaar with social media accounts. Anti-nationalist use media for the radicalisation of the youth and it targets the miserable sections of the society for the polarization of the politics also being promoted by the media while also encouraging hero worship tendencies. The era where media was considered as a guardian of a country and constitution .

Keeping a check on the government and encouraging substantial debate among the masses on critical national issues to participate in democracy is starting fade away. The aforementioned quote by the states that selective truths can lead to weapon of destruction. In the same manner you must look at creating genuinely Independent and transparent system for the media and ensure ownership restricting in cross holding .The Leveson Committee Department of 2012 of UK can be a great static point to adapt into the Indian context ensuring right to free speech in press while curtailing exploitation and misuse of the same . As Victor Hugo said, “No power can on earth can stop an idea whose time has come.” Today this power is social media.

[1] https://opentextbc.ca/mediastudies101/chapter/media-and-democracy/

[2] Dr. K. John Babu, Media and Human rights

[3] Andrew Dewdney and Peter Ride, The new media handbook , London And New York, Taylors and Francis Group

[4] Silvio Waisbord , Media Sociology, Jaipur, Rawat Publications.

[5] https://democracy-reporting.org/country/social-media-and-democracy

[6] https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/11319/media-democracy-and-governance

[7] https://legaldesire.com/role-of-media-in-democracy/

[8] https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/22/18177076/social-media-facebook-far-right-authoritarian-populism

[9] https://legaldesire.com/role-of-media-in-democracy/

Author Details: Rakesh Kumar is a student at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University , Lucknow.

The views of the Author are personal only.

(Source: Juscholars Journal, Volume 1, Issue 3)

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Biased media, agenda-driven debates weakening democracy

Syllabus: Judiciary

Source: Indian Express

Context : India’s CJI  has highlighted concerns that “ill-informed and agenda-driven debates ” and “biased views ” are weakening democracy.

Importance of Judiciary : Judiciary as “the organ which breathes life into the Constitution: Judicial review of legislative and executive actions is an integral part of the Constitutional scheme. It is the heart and soul of the Indian Constitution.”

Other concerns

• Media trial of judges: Doing justice is not an easy responsibility. At times, there are also concerted campaigns in media, particularly on social media against judges.
• New media tools have an enormous amplifying ability but appear to be incapable of distinguishing between the right and the wrong, the good and the bad, and the real and the fake. Media trials cannot be a guiding factor in deciding cases
• No accountability : Print media still has a certain degree of accountability. Whereas, electronic media has zero accountability as what it shows vanishes into thin air. Still, worse is social media
• No protection : Politicians, bureaucrats, police officers and other public representatives are often provided with security even after their retirement owing to the sensitiveness of their jobs. Ironically, judges are not extended similar protection.
• Adjudication Issues : One of the biggest challenges before the judiciary at present is prioritising the matters for adjudication as judges cannot turn a blind eye to social realities.
• Poor judicial Infrastructure : There have been a few knee-jerk reactions to augmenting infrastructure in a few places. However, there has not been any concrete plan to equip the judiciary to meet the challenges of the foreseeable future.

Recommendations:

• Responsible Media: Media, particularly electronic and social media, should behave responsibly.
• The media should “self-regulate and measure their words
• Need to strengthen the judiciary and empower judges : There has been an increasing number of physical attacks on judges being witnessed.

Impact of Social Media on the institution of judiciary

• Damages dignity of accused: Social media usually portrays the accused as a villain not based on facts but only to sensationalize the news , which causes damage to the dignity of the accused. E.g. Parents of Arushi Talwar in Arushi murder case (2008)
• Biased views being propagated by media are affecting the people, weakening democracy, and harming the system. In this process, justice delivery gets adversely affected.
• E.g. In the cases of the murder of Jessica Lall (2006), Priyadarshini Mattoo, Nitish Katera, and Aarushi Talwar case (2008), media influence was observed interfering with the investigation and justice.
• Mental trauma to the victim: In cases of a sexual offense, the explicit description of the ordeal on television creates mental torture to the victim. It leads to a breach of privacy, a bias in public opinion, as well as interferes with the sentencing process.
• Lowers the faith in judge’s decision
• Influences judge: Social media draws the judge’s attention to details that are not to be addressed in adjudicating the case and could subconsciously influence the judge’s judgment.
• Additional Solicitor General of India Madhavi Divan stated that “judges can be put under pressure because they are as human as anybody else”.
• Threat to judicial institutions
• Violates principle of natural justice
• Ethical and privacy impact in Judicial cases: In an open court trial, protecting privacy becomes very difficult, especially for women, children, and teenagers and also those who do not know how to protect their personal information on the web.
• Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct: It has established the values which judges must uphold namely independence, impartiality, integrity, propriety, equality, competence, and diligence.
• The HC will have a monitoring cell to observe and secure computer and internet systems provided in the courts and report about the misuse of social media.
• The GOI notified Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021: for the regulated use of Social media
• Germany has The Network Enforcement Act (NetzDG) which for the past two years has required social network owners to combat fake news, hate speech, and other criminal posts against other individuals, or state institutions such as the judiciary
• Need Societal capacity building for better usage : e.g. digital literacy, legal literacy and greater interaction of true facts, and busting legal myths.

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Q . The media does play a vital role in our democracy, and if we cannot depend on journalistic ethics, the nation's in trouble. Comment. (150 words)

• Explain the significance of media in a democracy.
• Give examples and explain the need for journalistic ethics.

Introduction

• Media acts as a watchdog of public interest in a democracy. It plays an important role in a democracy and serves as an agency of the people to inform them of the events of national and international significance.
• It is the means by which people receive a free flow of information and ideas, which is essential to intelligent self-governance, that is, democracy.
• Freedom of the media is part of the freedom of speech guaranteed by the Constitution under Article 19 (1) (a).
• One of the basic tasks of the media is to provide truthful and objective information to the people for their social, political and international awareness to reach an informed opinion. This makes media an important stakeholder in a democracy to shoulder the responsibility of presenting unbiased honest news without any vested interest.
• Media is considered as “Fourth Pillar” in democratic countries along with Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary. Its importance in influencing readers can be gauged by the role it played during the freedom struggle, politically educating millions of Indians who joined the leaders in their fight against the British imperialism. The role of media in Indian democracy has undergone massive changes, from the days of press censorship during Emergency in 1975 to being influential in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

The Need for Media Ethics

• The issues of paid news, media trial, non-issues being presented as real news while the real issues are sidelined, the news is being doctored and fact distortion for profits and political favour , fake news, yellow journalism are important concerns which are influencing public and impacting national security. For instance, fear mongering through media has led to mob lynchings, attacks on the migrant population.
• The absence of objective journalism leads to the false presentation of truth in a society which affects the perception and opinions of people. As observed in the case of Cambridge Analytica case, the biased news coverage on social media platform affected the Presidential elections in the U.S.
• The chase for sensationalism and higher TRP rates as observed in the coverage of 26/11 terrorist attacks in India risked the internal security of the nation. The sensationalism-driven reporting compromised the identities of rape victims and survivors despite SC guidelines.
• Trial by media does not follow the due process of law and can reduce the public trust in institutions of governance like the judiciary.
• Paid news and fake news can manipulate public perception and can instigate hatred, violence, and disharmony among the various community within society.
• With the advent of social media, technological changes, the reach of media has grown profoundly. Its reach and role in impacting public opinion have made it even more important to ensure its objectivity, non-partisanship calls for the enforcement of journalistic ethics.
• In developing countries like India, the media have a great responsibility to fight backward ideas such as casteism and communalism and help the people in their struggle against poverty and other social evils. Hence, having journalistic ethics in place becomes very important.
• It is important that the media stick to the core principles like truth and accuracy, transparency, independence, fairness and impartiality, responsibility and fair play.

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Back to main page, write an essay on biased media is a real threat to indian democracy 1000 1200 words 125 marks .........

Write an essay on - Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy. (1000-1200 words, 125 marks)

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Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Essay on biased media is a real threat to indian democracy,  essay on biased media is a real threat to indian democracy.

We all know that India is a democracy and the media plays a vital role in the functioning of our country. The role of media is not only to report but also to play an important role in interpreting what takes place in society, reflecting social diversity and changes, keeping governments accountable etc. But what happens today when we turn on our television or read some newspapers? How biased are they? Do they always speak for one party or another? If yes then why don't we have some kind of ethical code for journalists to follow?

The media is a pillar of democracy in India. The role of the media is to report and interpret what takes place in society, to reflect social diversity and changes, and to keep governments accountable. But today's role of media has been distorted. Media bias in India is not new, but it has become even more raw and direct than before. The concept of 'free press' has been derived from the freedom of speech enshrined in our Constitution under Article 19 (1)(a). 

The role of print media was always more nuanced than that prescribed by law; however, today we see an increasing number of cases where reports are pre-determined before they even reach print or broadcast—with no room for correction or analysis after publication

It is an undeniable fact that freedom of the press exists only if it is free from the fetters imposed by the state. When the media is influenced by any force or group, it becomes a tool for maligning political leaders, influencing public opinion and promoting vested interests. This situation has become worse with time as more and more people get their news through social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter which are most times unverified sources. 

The readership of these websites has increased manifold over years due to their easy accessibility but at times they may also be misinformed about certain events that happen in our country like communal tensions between two communities etcetera because these websites have no editorial policies whatsoever which makes them prone to fake news being spread around.

Media Democracy and Indian Politics

How freedom of expression can be threatened, the necessity of balanced media for a vibrant democracy, ethics in journalism is a must for a healthy democracy.

• Journalists should be objective and unbiased. They should not take sides, or be partial to any particular group, political party or individual. 
• Journalists should be honest in their reporting and writing. They have a professional duty to report facts without fear or favour. They are accountable to their readers/viewers through disclosure of sources and contact information whenever possible; they respect the privacy rights of individuals as well as those who may be affected by disclosures made by journalists (e.g., victims); they do not plagiarize someone else’s work without attribution which could lead to legal action against them – including imprisonment if convicted under Section 500(2) of Indian Penal Code [IPC] - Copyright Act 1909 [COPYRIGHT ACT].

A vibrant media is essential for a healthy democracy

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