Recently an editorial in this column mentioned about media as an instrument of public accountability and how those in the media must be first accountable itself. The press in Nagaland has performed exceedingly well as far as its role of Information Education Communication (IEC) goes. But we have fared poorly when it comes to speaking out the truth. It’s true that the media has become too much identified with the system. We are failing in our role as a free press…to get to the bottom of the story…to point out wrongs…to make our government accountable for their acts of omission…We cannot continue to be a soft media only republishing press statements from those in power or the countless public relation exercise of this and that union, group, political parties etc. So coming back to the role of the media, we must carry the “voice of protest” and be the medium to spotlight social evils, policy failures or the wrongs in our system. How can we be more effective as media practitioners? One area we need to improve upon is in our reporting. Are we merely satisfied to take dictation from others…don’t we as journalists’ have a mind of our own…in fact the best way for the media to be an instrument for public accountability is to probe and ask—if needed even tough uncomfortable—questions to those in authority…and we should not be afraid to report the truth.
Also the media here is not making the best use of the Right to Information Act (RTI). In the RTI Act there are endless possibilities for the media to demand accountability from those holding public office. We don’t seem to have the inclination or the time to do serious reporting. Here we need to bring to the fore the new phenomenon of what we call the social media. In fact the uprising in the Arab world and the fall of regimes in Egypt, Libya etc. this has been attributed to what is being dubbed as the ‘Facebook Revolution’. We need to ponder over what the role of the mainstream media has been in all this recent events taking place around the world. Some may disagree with this column but you know what…this whole new awakening taking place through social media is partly as a result of the mainstream media’s failure. Remember? we were supposed to be the ‘voice of protest’, to carry the voice of the people, to act as the watchdog against injustice, to be the voice for the voiceless. It would seem that the mainstream media has been co-opted into the system that perpetuates the status-quo. The people coming out into the streets, the new found expression of protests in the social media is the frustration against the present state of affairs including the failure of the fourth estate.
And because we are failing to play our part, the media is facing a crisis of legitimacy. The sense we get is that people are starting to lose faith in us. The local media must be awake to this reality. All will agree that a strong and vibrant media is an asset for society, for politics and for democracy. There is an equal danger in allowing too much space for people’s power. Freedom of protest or expression should not be used as a license. We don’t want complete disorder and anarchy. And that is why the media must reoccupy its place and give the space to promote dialogue and reason while at the same time being an instrument for accountability, correction and peaceful change.
Also the media here is not making the best use of the Right to Information Act (RTI). In the RTI Act there are endless possibilities for the media to demand accountability from those holding public office. We don’t seem to have the inclination or the time to do serious reporting. Here we need to bring to the fore the new phenomenon of what we call the social media. In fact the uprising in the Arab world and the fall of regimes in Egypt, Libya etc. this has been attributed to what is being dubbed as the ‘Facebook Revolution’. We need to ponder over what the role of the mainstream media has been in all this recent events taking place around the world. Some may disagree with this column but you know what…this whole new awakening taking place through social media is partly as a result of the mainstream media’s failure. Remember? we were supposed to be the ‘voice of protest’, to carry the voice of the people, to act as the watchdog against injustice, to be the voice for the voiceless. It would seem that the mainstream media has been co-opted into the system that perpetuates the status-quo. The people coming out into the streets, the new found expression of protests in the social media is the frustration against the present state of affairs including the failure of the fourth estate.
And because we are failing to play our part, the media is facing a crisis of legitimacy. The sense we get is that people are starting to lose faith in us. The local media must be awake to this reality. All will agree that a strong and vibrant media is an asset for society, for politics and for democracy. There is an equal danger in allowing too much space for people’s power. Freedom of protest or expression should not be used as a license. We don’t want complete disorder and anarchy. And that is why the media must reoccupy its place and give the space to promote dialogue and reason while at the same time being an instrument for accountability, correction and peaceful change.
