It is said that journalists are the first historians and that the newspapers mirror the happenings in the world. They are the first to break the news to common public and help in creating the collective impression on subjects. Journalism is a field so revered that it is called the fourth pillar of the democracy. Even in the worsts of living conditions we can find reporters doing their work and letting the people know about the happenings around the world.
In India, journalism has played a vital role in establishing democracy and then maintaining it. The Emergency period is the witness for the power of mass communication and journalism, when the newspapers published blank papers because of heavy censor levied on news agencies. Though the pages were blank, the message was very loud and clear. Back then, journalism and reporting was for the society, it was back when people and development was the driving factor and not TRP and money.
The present media has made sure that people know, from mile away, their affiliation. So much so that the incidents go unreported for months till someone uploads videos about it. Even then, the hesitance of the leading media channels and publishing agencies to report the atrocities and violence speaks a lot about the existing condition of journalism in our country. For the present generation, meme pages and troll channels have become their source of knowledge on current affairs.
Is it the fear of being cancelled or simply the disregard to ethics or censorship that has gotten Indian journalism to this state, we can’t be too sure. Media houses now have reduced to mere puppets under the hands of big shot politicians and their parties. Freedom of speech is one of the fundamental rights ensured by the Constitution of India, then why are the honest and true journalists being harassed for banking on this right? Media, which was supposed to keep government in check and to uphold the principles of democracy, has become an agency which people in power use to blind side public? And why are the citizens not bothered of this growing autocratic power? These queries are not mere trivial wonderings, but rather important questions that any informed citizen should be asking.
As Philip L. Graham said, “Journalism is the first rough draft of history,” and keeping up with this they say, journalists are the first historians, but by looking at the present workings of our society, we can’t help but wonder as to how accurate will our history be?