Seven Deadly Sins commited by Media has eroded its credibility.
These SEVEN SINS are:
* Media owners, journalists becoming players in game of business and politics
* Bias in various guises
* Pomposity of journalists
* Seriousness generating boredom in readers
* Triumph of trivia
* News on sale
* Ignorance
I feel the media owners and journalists who became willing players in the game of business and politics were committing a major sin.
The second sin is 'Bias' which is projected in various guises. The third one is pomposity which led scribes to think that they are more important than the reader.In the name of seriousness, many newspapers are generating boredom among the readers.
I presume, “A newspaper is like a thali where you have the main course along with pickles; The thali remains incomplete without pickles but it is suicidal to confuse it with rice”. Another ‘deadly sin’ is the idea of “news on sale”. The sacredness of news space had been compromised in this process. The seventh sin is ignorance which is strongly prevalent among the new generation of journalists.
- M.J. Akbar
(From Hyderabad, at the national round table on “Lakshman Rekha for the News Media)
2 comments:
Dear Sir,
Nice to hear this from you. You are shining by becoming harbinger to acknowledge these seven sins of media. Hope media listens to you.
I think you must ponder over using the term "Lakshman Rekha".
For me, term itself is illogical. Lakshman was supposed to obey his brother's "divine order" not to leave his Sita bhabi until he returns from the hunt. Sita worries due to delay in Rama's return and asks Lakshman to go and look for him. Lakshman obliges by drawing Lakshman rekha and asking her not to cross the line. But dis-aster happens.
I think Lakshman himself is guilty of dis-obedience of kingly or state or divine order by King Ram. And Lakshman disobeyed and undermined his brother's intelligence and brother's order thereby dis-obeying family right and order of elder brother over younger brother.
Tell me who is important Ram or Lakshman.
Therefore I conclude that "Lakshman Rekha" should nto be used as "idealtype" when we talk of morals in media or anywhere else.
I thought about this recently when some one accused a girl of crossing Lakshman rekha.
I came up with this argument in that context to protect that girl.
Using the term Lakshman rekha does not fit with the content you spoke on.
Other wise, your speech on seven deadly sins is super hit. It reached unsurpassed heights. But I hope it stirs media's soul.
Ameen!
Warm regards.
You have omitted one more sin.
"Colorful news" created by biased media. Seeing saffron when it is white.
S. Krishnamoorthy
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