National Press Day: Issues That Indian Media Face

New Delhi: National Press day is celebrated every year on November 16 to celebrate the foundation of the Press Council of India.

The day signifies the importance of having a free press in the country. The independent press is considered the voice of the voiceless. It serves as a connecting link between the ruler and those who are ruled.

Media also brings out the ills of the system and helps the government to find the solution for it. That’s why media is called the fourth pillar of democracy.

However, nowadays, the media industry in India is confronted with several issues. These are:

Biased and Paid News 

This is one of the biggest issues faced by the media house in the country. Many media houses or journalists propagate one-sided views and do not identify the major issues as they are being paid by powerful organizations or individuals to narrate their side of the story. However, paid news can be identified easily by way of targeted advertisements or sponsorships or targeting any specific community of society.

Lack of Diversity

There are about 800 different news channels in India, apart from daily newspapers and weekly magazines, many remote areas, such as the northeast, south India, and tier-3 cities, receive little coverage in the national media. Their focus is mainly on news related to mainland India. This leads to the ignorance of news in other areas, hampering the diversity of reportage.

Media Trials

Media Trials are alike to courts of law where the media houses declare an individual guilty or innocent based on debates and discussions, before the court’s judgement. Media trial results in the formation of beliefs in the minds of the viewers, thus impacting the case’s meritocracy. The perfect example of a media trial can be visible in the Sushant Singh Rajput drug case and Jessica Lal murder case, among others.

Media Ownership

The majority of Indian media houses are owned by politically connected individuals or businessman having their political influence inclined toward one political party. This leads to the production of biased news in the media.

Media, which is considered the fourth pillar of democracy plays an important role in the country’s growth and governance. While there are numerous problems facing the media industry currently, there are some media houses that are doing admirable work by disseminating true and reliable facts.