Responsibility of media in a democracy

Responsibility of media in a democracy

Introduction

Media, especially the social media has spread its wings worldwide with the emergence of e-age. The era is ruled by the Internet and has a supreme authority to turn things upside down. There is hardly any field left out from the reach of media. Democracy is no bar to the media and its realistic plays.

Media and Democracy

Media has a big role to play in a democratic set up. A government of the people, for the people and by the people is not all that easy to be followed. To have a strong democratic set up, the government and people need to go hand-in-hand. This definitely requires a bridge, which is the media. The very first responsibility of media is to reduce the gap between the government and its citizens. In a democracy the government is run by representatives of public, who are elected by the public, for the public and from the public. Such representatives take decisions which may prove to be right or wrong, and as they assume public office & inherit power some may use this position for their own benefit or benefit of others by exercising undue influence.

Responsibilities of media in Democracy

With regard to responsibility of the media in an efficient democratic set-up, there are some do’s and don’ts that need to be followed. The responsibility is never on the positive side of achieving, but that also has the duties to control and check any degradation of the procedure and cease the spreading ill-effects.

Do’s for the Media

Let us first start with the responsibility of media towards democracy on the achieving front:

• Maintain transparency in government

This is the most important feature, as the political world can never be visualized in their factual manner by common man. It is only the media that retains the power to reach the government and its ministers and expose the realistic picture to the world.

• Revealing the truth in the most acceptable form without creating agitations

Revealing truth is easier in comparison to expressing the same in a socially acceptable form. Especially in a country like India, exposing the truth of the government to the people is as challenging as running a democratic set-up. With people of different religion, region, linguist, traditions and diversity in many other forms, giving the facts avoiding the agitations in the country is a tough role to play for the media.

• Help people in nourishing their rights

Media definitely have the duty to help the citizens nourish their rights. On the same hand, they also need to check whether the citizens are excising their right in a correct manner.

• Expose and challenge both the consensus of government and its people

Media has the most tough job to check both the government and its citizens. They need to play the role of two-edge sword which need to be handled with utmost caution.

• Debate – encouragement and criticism to dig out the loopholes and work out on the same

Any democracy can give its best, when they can understand their strong and weak points. Media is the one which can open up the debate and welcome the appreciation and criticism to open up the loopholes and make the government understand its significance.

• Build a sense of patriotism within the citizens who could work for the betterment of the nation without any fear of politicians.

Media can have a positive radiance that could circulate a positive aura amongst the masses who could drive out their energy in cleaning up the political sewer and save the nation from dooming down.

• Find a way out for the free press

Free press can help a lot in maintaining the democratic set-up. With a flair for the media to fly, they can achieve the untouchable limits and help out in the efficient functioning of the democracy.

Don’ts for the Media

Now coming on to the don’ts; here are a few aspects that media should not indulge in:

• Twisting facts

The information should be presented as is, facts should not be deliberately twisted to create sensation.

• Paid News

Media should not get involved in creating news, media’s responsibility is to report news not to create one.

• Side line Real Issues

The real news should be presented, and journalists should not cover side-line. Issues alone whilst ignoring the main issue that needs to be reported.

• Irresponsible News

When any terror activity takes place, it has been noted on few occasions that the immediately after the act some new channels start broadcasting that there are emails claiming some Islamic terror group has claimed responsibility for the act. An email can be sent by anyone with fake ids, and there is always a possibility that the claimant wants to disturb harmony between Hindus’ & Muslims’. This kind of information should only be broadcasted once the facts are confirmed.

• Avoid foreign ownership of the press

Foreign involvement in the press or media can lead to the adulteration of the facts. This could lead to the twisting news which would definitely harm the economy of the country indirectly. The foreign agencies may also make this as a trap for the host country’s downfall.

• Avoid dominance by press

Though free press is a welcome factor, still the undue dominance by the press is not an acceptable factor. This could reshape the actual facts into a different criteria.

Conclusion

An Independent Media is therefore essential for a democracy, to show the general public what the ruling party & opposition are doing, both good & bad. This is essential so as to ensure that individuals in public can form their opinions about how the government is functioning and wisely cast their vote in the next election. An efficient media can thus yield a big, strong and powerful democratic set up. Let us march towards a prosperous future under the light of media and power of democracy.