The media is the most prominent catalyst in forming an opinion. The local newspaper, the television, the theatre, cinema and the universal Internet are the windows through which we experience the world. Hence issues concerning the contents of the media or the way in which they influence the society are matters of utmost importance and hence must not go un-addressed.
History points out that the progress or downfall of societies can always be cornered down to the state of mind prevalent of the individuals that formed them. Natures of events are led more by the interpretation and assimilation of prevalent facts than the facts themselves. Interpretations of state of matters are not absolute in themselves. They are in practice reasonably biased by the opinions nurtured about affairs in general. The media is very instrumental in forming these very opinions that a generation harbors. I wouldn’t be far from the truth if I said that the media is the power that defines the path on which the world moves onto the future.
Only a responsible media can allow a generation of individuals to carry a society to the goals that it needs to achieve. The responsibility of the media should then undoubtedly be to create the necessary interpretation of the facts that surface and hence form the opinions that will propel the society to its predestined goals. This means that newspapers and magazines need to more than just report facts; they need to do so in a way so as to influence the reader to form an opinion that propels him to cause overall growth. Movies theatre music and the rest of the entertainment media need to grow beyond being symbols of art. They should form an ambience that thrusts a society into its goals.
Freedom of a responsible press is more important than the freedom of press in itself
While the former speaks about the power of freedom that a responsible press enjoys as long as it performs to the good of the society, the later speaks about unconditional freedom in the hands of the press, where the social responsibility of forming constructive opinions is transferred to the individual. A characteristic feature of the latter arrangement is that the society and its growth are largely determined by the mixed outlooks that a non regulated media will cause. This probably explains why very often we fail to achieve many of our goals like say the FIVE YEAR PLANS or THE COMMON MINIMUM PROGRAMME. Because these have been framed in the context of a free press that generates multiple opinions about the very veracity or procedure of execution of these plans. On the other hand however by conferring a conditional freedom to a responsible media, we are allowing the media to form a uniform opinion to the end that it meets overall growth towards the targeted goal. In doing so the media may need to have to decorate or even distort facts, the freedom of the responsible media will enable it do so.
Every time we watch a cricket match, no matter where we are ,we tend to root for India. This is a clear example of an entertainment media like a sport promoting a feeling of patriotism. Afternoon soaps meant to target the house wife audience carries contents of feminine independence and hence has increased the confidence and the standard of living of the Indian house wife. There are several such examples of the media largely affecting the way of life. It is quite possible that with succinctly presented news reports or smartly directed movies can change the mindset of people to believe that they need to cooperate with a potential enemy nation to grow towards success.
History points out that the progress or downfall of societies can always be cornered down to the state of mind prevalent of the individuals that formed them. Natures of events are led more by the interpretation and assimilation of prevalent facts than the facts themselves. Interpretations of state of matters are not absolute in themselves. They are in practice reasonably biased by the opinions nurtured about affairs in general. The media is very instrumental in forming these very opinions that a generation harbors. I wouldn’t be far from the truth if I said that the media is the power that defines the path on which the world moves onto the future.
Only a responsible media can allow a generation of individuals to carry a society to the goals that it needs to achieve. The responsibility of the media should then undoubtedly be to create the necessary interpretation of the facts that surface and hence form the opinions that will propel the society to its predestined goals. This means that newspapers and magazines need to more than just report facts; they need to do so in a way so as to influence the reader to form an opinion that propels him to cause overall growth. Movies theatre music and the rest of the entertainment media need to grow beyond being symbols of art. They should form an ambience that thrusts a society into its goals.
Freedom of a responsible press is more important than the freedom of press in itself
While the former speaks about the power of freedom that a responsible press enjoys as long as it performs to the good of the society, the later speaks about unconditional freedom in the hands of the press, where the social responsibility of forming constructive opinions is transferred to the individual. A characteristic feature of the latter arrangement is that the society and its growth are largely determined by the mixed outlooks that a non regulated media will cause. This probably explains why very often we fail to achieve many of our goals like say the FIVE YEAR PLANS or THE COMMON MINIMUM PROGRAMME. Because these have been framed in the context of a free press that generates multiple opinions about the very veracity or procedure of execution of these plans. On the other hand however by conferring a conditional freedom to a responsible media, we are allowing the media to form a uniform opinion to the end that it meets overall growth towards the targeted goal. In doing so the media may need to have to decorate or even distort facts, the freedom of the responsible media will enable it do so.
Every time we watch a cricket match, no matter where we are ,we tend to root for India. This is a clear example of an entertainment media like a sport promoting a feeling of patriotism. Afternoon soaps meant to target the house wife audience carries contents of feminine independence and hence has increased the confidence and the standard of living of the Indian house wife. There are several such examples of the media largely affecting the way of life. It is quite possible that with succinctly presented news reports or smartly directed movies can change the mindset of people to believe that they need to cooperate with a potential enemy nation to grow towards success.
3 comments:
Good one boss!
Keep writing!!!
I hear this very often... the freedom of press, the right to expression and so on. I believe the above words are of the most misused words ever. Whenever one speaks of "freedom of" and the "right to", I think he/she should follow up with a "duty towards" in the same sentence. Too often, people demand rights and freedom and then completely ignore the duties associated with the freedom and rights. No wonder, as freebies are known to be misused!
Hey Gsie! Why have u stopped blogging???
We are waiting for more!!!!
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