A recent development last week with regard to the launch of a Television Channel in Kerela comes across as shocking for the simple reason that it was the Congress’s own TV channel in Kerela. And it was none other than the Congress President Sonia Gandhi who was present to launch Jai Hind TV on Friday. Accordingly the latest venture, which the Congress President launched, is part of a continuing trend in South India, of leading political parties funding and running their mouthpieces. Jai Hind TV will be a counter to the CPI (M)-backed Kairali TV, which hit the airwaves in August 2000. Giving Jai Hind TV company across the border will be Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, whose wife launches Kannada Kasturi in a few weeks time.
Television and politicians make for a heady cocktail in Tamil Nadu too. Sun TV, which till recently was the DMK mouthpiece, and Jaya TV, have been in the race for long. Now three more new political channels are to be launched in the state over the next one month. The PMK has its Makkal TV and Kalaignar TV will be launched on September 15. Not satisfied, the Tamil Nadu government is also planning to take over cable TV distribution as the Congressmen realize the importance of having their own ‘controlled’ mouthpiece. For those of us who believe in the ‘Power of Truth’ and on people centered democratic expression, the mushrooming of political media houses are a matter of grave concern for the independence of the media.
Closer home in Manipur, though unrelated to the trend taking place in South India, the State Government is attempting to curb democratic expression through other means such as banning bandhs or general strikes. The Manipur government did another damning thing by banning the publications of press releases of the underground groups. Similarly, two factions of an underground organization in Manipur had also issued diktats to the media not to entertain press releases coming from rival factions.
It is extremely unfortunate that journalists who are playing the role as watch dog of society are treated with outmost contempt by the powers that be, whether it is the State or UG outfits. To add to this, the ban being imposed by the State Government on certain press releases is in itself a direct attack on all those who cherish and uphold the values of free and fair expression. Such measures being taken by the State are tantamount to censorship and it takes away the freedom of expression and thereby narrowing the scope of dissemination of information. While journalists are duty bound to maintain self moderation on the freedom they enjoy, by that same token they also possess the right to publish or refuse publication of any material and no force should be allowed to take away this special privilege being bestowed on the fourth estate.
