Take any recent issues; media plays the role of a beacon- exposure of Mumbai water mafias, cops dancing with underground dons or issues like Ruchika’s molestation. These are some recent issues but older ones do have same history.
The media theorists were very critical of media’s role in the society. Media has a very strong cultural and social impact upon society. This can be attributed to the fact that mass media has the ability to reach a wide audience with a strong and influential message. Television broadcasting has a large amount of control over the content society watches and the times in which it is viewed. But does it mean that Media should take the role of Intelligence Bureaus and bring the crime to the front? In other ways, can it be viewed that media is crippling the law and order system of our society which depends largely on the media.
Investigative journalism has become the other word for exposing crime. The law and order system of our country puffs cigarette and sips coffee while the crime section is left for media to look after. Media is performing tasks extra than its role and the systems keep their eye open for some novel ‘Breaking News’.
Will law and order system of our country wait for another media exposure of crime or corruption episode happening in the country? Media’s role as a watchdog or judicial custodian is debatable and needs to be debated.
The idea would best end with the quote of Ted Koppel (American broadcast journalist, best known as the anchor for Nightline)-
“People shouldn't expect the mass media to do investigative stories. That job belongs to the 'fringe' media”
By Jayant Bormudoi
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