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State of Indian Media: News or Noise, Watchdog or Lapdog
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Asmita
3:01
He explains that the summation is this noise and lapdog tendency that are emanating from a particular reservoir - we must go back to that reservoir to understand why it's happening. There is a lot of collaboration, it's not all compulsion, a lot of gains. We need to delve deeper into it, that's all. He speaks from both sides of the barricade.
3:02
Suhas Broker thanks Jawahar Sircar for his insights from both sides.
Broker calls in Pamela and talks about her new book.
3:03
Pamela Philipose thanks for being invited to Jann Prasar
3:04
Philipose talks about the Presidential Assent to the PB Act, that India would finally get autonomous broadcast and its failures. She points to the larger failure of the Indian Media in performing its mandated role as the protector of democracy.
3:05
Philipose states: "Assertion of media independence as an area has shrunk painfullt and conspicuously in recent times."
3:08
Freedom of Media independence has been largely effected from past few years
Yes (0% | 0 votes)
 
No (0% | 0 votes)
 
Total Votes: 0
Before turning the heat on media, Philipose explains the external environ - the rise of authoritarian state of India is a reality - controlling the media has proved its efficacy. The practice of controlling media is exercised through a combination of patronage, punishment and a range of steps. The administration, executive and legal - media houses are stopped from reporting COVID-19 without government permission. Also, legal pressures are brought to bear on media function.
3:09
Philipose says, "Such surveillance strategies are deployed to make it extremely difficult for media anchors to protect themselves."
3:11
Pamela Philipose continues to discuss how the media has attacked the State - it is required to amplify the narratives, among the first groups contracted by government before the lockdown was with key stakeholders of electronic media. Positive communication became the slogan of the day.
Philipose: "The ideologies driving the State come to bear on media reporting."
3:13
Philipose says that systematic and hateful targeting of Tablighi Jamaat marked as a new low of the communalisation of the pandemic.
3:14
"It's disturbing - the failures of media to speak up. Why is this the case is a question to think." Philipose questions.
3:15
The Tablighi case had a 'smell of malice'. Jamaat members were made scapegoats by the government, Bombay HC later found.
3:16
"We are in a sense not allowing the understanding of a complex reality to come about. When political power must be gained, these attempt at media captures are most pronounced." Pamela Philipose claims.
3:17
"2019 General Elections, yet again we see this as Bihar polls approach with the unrelenting and inexplicable coverage on SSR case - undoubtedly driven by Bihar elections."
3:18
"The election posters bearing his face were evidence."
3:19
Philipose asks: "How do we regain sanity in our public discourse? Can lapdogs be trained to be watchdogs?"
3:20
Philipose explains that UK had citizens agitating over the biased coverage of media houses, they once saw a public demand for independent media. The struggle for Prasar Bharti was evident of this.
3:21
Philipose refers to Sirkar's speech, saying that Sudarshan news attacking minorities - why is it being allowed to do this? Why is it that the public who benefits most from investigative media, why isn't it speaking up?
Philipose wishes to end on this note
3:23
Philipose concludes: "Unless the ordinary person says that 'no we do not want the binge that passes on as prime time television, we don't want toxic hate speech', only then can we ensure that the little lapdog that is now comfortably sitting turns to be a bit of a watchdog."
Philipose ends her speech.
3:24
Suhas Broker thanks Pamela Philipose.
Broker opens the floor for questions.
3:25
Question 1 from Jharkhand: "Is there a need for empowered regulators?"
3:26
Broker says yes, there is. He talks about a need for providing stricter regulation. He then calls Press Council 'a toothless body', just a monitoring centre. He takes up the example of Sudarshan TV and how it still survives without govt help.
3:27
Sirkar responds saying that EMMC is almost like an undercover agency. It has monitors that keep records, the purpose is innocent. If someone makes a complaint, one can refer to these tapes.
3:28
But in his time, he found a new mentality seep in. Different people came in and utilized the EMMC as an arm of state power, a watchdog body that keeps records of important TV channels. It must be guided by a neutral body.
3:29
Sircar: "It is the bureaucrats of the IAS who played a major role in demolishing Prasar Bharti."
3:30
He says they made sure Prasar Bharti was a 'disadvantaged child'.
Sircar ends his answer.
3:31
Broker then directs the question to N Ram - Why the Indian Media isn't influential and impactful in other world events?
NR says it's been the long standing weakness of the Indian Press.
3:32
Very few newspapers have found it worthwhile to invest in original, independent coverage with journalists abroad.
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