DUB Speak

Indian Media: The spoilsport or the kingmaker?

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Politics was not so murky and abysmal before the 1990s, or apparently it didn’t look so, but with the evolution of media, a wave of transparency has transcended on each decision-making body and also on the decision makers of this country. The 21st century has seen the advent of investigative journalism, and with it, that of blame games and revolutions.

The past decade witnessed the trend of ‘an uprising media’, which has now become the face of India. More appropriately, it is the tool in the hands of citizens, to check the wrong-doings of the so called ‘public workers’. Many scams have been unearthed, many bad policies reviewed and many politicians sent to jails for their ill work , all has been made possible due to the ever-efficient media and its wide outreach.

The polity of India is now as lucid as a diamond. Every new policy is now checked, if not by the policy-makers than by the media, the fourth pillar of democracy. Well, we all know what happened with the Augusta-Westland deal. Every strand of the deal was reviewed and put in front of the people to decide. What if media had not been there? The corrupt in this case would have run away with all the black money. Fortunately it was present, and thus the deal was put off for an internal inquiry.

This is just one example of the power of media when it comes to being a critic of Indian politics. There is another side to the story, wherein media has also helped the politics to incur a never before seen boom. Parties now reach people through the media. A 500 crore image makeover for the scion of one of the major political parties in India is not a lie. Political parties have been on both back foot due to the media revolution and at the front foot when it comes to improving their public image. The ‘Development model of Gujarat’, and ‘Chai pe Charcha’ are two such examples of the same, where through media, interested parties have tried for an image makeover. Not only makeover, media has also helped some budding parties to come at par with national ones as we saw in the AAP phenomenon.

So, it is understandably clear, how media can shape the politics and with it the future of this country. What has to be borne in mind is the limit in which it has to work. The past has shown us how media can change scenarios, what has to be ensured is such a change in the status quo is for the betterment of the people of this country. As ultimately, media is by the people, of the people and for the people.

Illustration credits: Megha Saraogi for DU Beat

is a sophomore pursuing Political Science (H) from SGTB Khalsa College. A graduate in Indian Classical Music and a seasoned MUNer, Anchor and Compére, he also has an interest in writing poetry. He has been working as a compére for Athletic Federation of India and is a guest columnist for a multi - state daily. A partisan of astrophysics, he thinks that our perceptions shape our realities and that a reality for one might not be for another. It's a world full of semblance, he believes. Link to his blog on Poetry: brijpahwapoetry.blogspot.in

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