Fake news, biased media and misuse of power by some journalist is common. We all keep fighting and news traders keep moving ahead in their life. There is solution to all evil deeds. Till now we (law abiding citizens) along with the government were reactive. Going forward the action should be proactive.
How?
Time has come to replace Working Journalist Act 1950 and 1955 should be replaced with a new Act. Government benefits and amenities given to media houses needs to be withdrawn and relooked.
Why the need?
Today the way media house and individuals (journalist, social activist journalist) in personal capacity operate and carry themselves has changed drastically. Their priority is not news as it is but creating a narrative based on the management and investor philosophy. This has resulted in creating spate of biased and fake news, forming opinion for an industrialist or a political party or even writing against the national interest.
Freedom of Expression and Speech is not absolute. Interest of nation and society has to be the first priority. Self restraint in media is as good as Secularism. Ones who practice are very few. Therefore, the Government of India should think of creating a task force to formulate a new Act to cover all forms of media and free lancers. To be precise, this should cover Print, Electronic, Digital, Social Media platforms, News Portal, FM, Blog writers and free lancers.
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting should take the lead with help from Ministry of LAW, MSME, Education Labour, Finance, External affairs and Home.
Each ministry has a role to play. Law ministry should look into legal aspect like biased and fake news (provisions for punishment etc). MSME ministry should look at strengthening the news portals that are struggling for investment and expansion. Education ministry should study how meaningful syllabus can be created in various university and improve quality of journalism. Labour ministry to relook at salary and working conditions.
Home ministry has most important role to play. Fake and biased news creates unrest in the society. Journalists and media house have an important role to play. Along with External Affairs and Law ministry they need to make exemplary laws so that enough of freedom is available at disposal for covering news but inbuilt mechanism to prevent journalists and media house who have an agenda that is not in favour of the nation.
Finance ministry need to look at how upcoming media professionals and news portals can benefit from bank loans. They also need to look at reviewing DAVP. Instead of paid advertisement based on reach, the government should look at result and incentive based publicity. Various government departments can share the requirement online and concerned media vehicles (print, digital, electronic, etc) can do online bidding for the campaign.
A dedicated portal under ministry of Information and Broadcasting should be created. All existing and planning to start media venture can apply online. Due diligence is key to internal and external safety of the nation.
Complete bio with details of achievements, pending court case and FIR or any investigation underway by IT, ED, CBI, etc. Details of financials including source of funds, etc. Make this information open for public viewing just like law makers information is available. The information should also include family members if they are remotely in same profession. Besides this any individual who has changed religion should reveal the same. Reveal benefits taken till date from various government (central, state etc).
Define Journalist, Role, Extent of Freedom. New Act should spell out role of Ombudsman in Media (needs to be created), punishment for sharing classified information in public, punishment for running media trials, compensation for victims created out of media trials. Rehabilitation process for victims of media trials.
A window on website should give complete information of media house and journalist who are going through litigation. Withdraw all benefits given to financially well off journalist.
Encourage free lancers and news portal by providing them press card and soft loans (online application). Review performance based on constructive news. Create atmosphere for ethical journalism by rewarding talent at district level, state level and national level. Encourage use of technology and use free lancers talent to collect news as it happens. This kind of approach will not only give fresh energy to this profession but also create phenomenal revenue to the government (a detailed plan can be shared in person).
Create different levels of journalist (A, B and C) for coverage of government functions, events and premises. This has to be based on past record of journalist and accordingly various kind of access can be given. For example ones who are prone to sharing classified information and real time information of defence and intelligence will never get access to such place.
Ones who have a habit of showing India in bad light should never have access to visiting head of states and embassy. And most importantly never be allowed to cover visits of out President, PM and any ministers on foreign soil. Their articles and interviews in overseas media should be constantly under government vigil and if they are found to be crossing limits of FoE and FoS then exemplary action should start by default in a time bound manner.
Naming and shaming selectively should be a criminal offence. At present lot of journalist and media house do this rampantly and hardly any action is taken against them. RTI in this pillar of democracy is equally important.
To sum up, the celebrity journalists and established media house would not like a single line in this article. But the law abiding citizens are sick and tired of fighting the fake hero of journalism. Self restraint has failed and will never be at display 24 x 7. There are enough of respected and reliable names like Kanchan Gupta, Ashok Malik, Minhaz Merchant, R Jagannathan, Nupur J Sharma, Vipul Saxena, A Ranganathan who can assist in drafting new Journalism Act.
Time to set the house in order instead of leaving it in the hands of News Traders.
Picture Credit: Screenshots from Twitter
1 thought on “Debate for News Media Act”
Maj Gen BS Panwar, AVSM,SM (Retd)
September 11, 2019Excellent narrative. It makes sense to keep 4th pillar of our democracy completely independent, unbiased & free to procure & disseminate information in public domain; But it seems this principle has been taken for a ride by some media houses & few free lance Journo . Registration , catagorisation & accountability has to be imposed since their self discipline theory has not worked. I compliment the author for taking a lead in this regard.