Media is a mixed blessing

Background :-

• Media refers to the means of communication. Newspapers, radio, and television, books, magazines etc comes under media.
• Media has a very important role, especially in democratic countries.
• It’s been an effective medium for communication, exchange of information, marketing, advertisement and sharing views, opinions and ideas.

Positive side :-

• Media has played a big role in India’s independence struggle. Freedom fighters used media to create awareness among people.
• Through media, we can know the happenings around us in fraction of seconds.
• Mass media helps in ensuring the transparency of the government. The importance of mass media is often described by stating it as a fourth pillar of jurisdiction, other three being union government, security forces and judiciary.
• Even the remote places are now connected to the remaining world by means of media.
• Media draws public attention to the most crucial problems of the society such as corruption, quality of education & women harassment.
• We can also express our opinions, views and thoughts quite easily, ensuring the freedom of expression. we can express ourselves on the mass media through the interviews, articles, live talk shows and also on the internet.
• Media has been successful in termination of various social stigmas and malpractices of the society. It has also proven as a catalyst in the addressal of grievances of public.
• Media also generates a large amount of job opportunities.

Negative side :-

• At the time of Mumbai attacks (26/11), media added fuel to the fire. Terrorists were able to see what’s happening there, and threw grenades at the commandos.
• Media creates a hype of everything.
• With the half-baked information, media shows innocent people as criminals or terrorists at times. This puts their lives & careers at stake.
• The information provided by the media may not always be accurate. In the cut throat competition in the media industry, it is possible that the information could be manipulated to attract the attention of the wider audience.
• News channels explain the way the crime happened in detail. Criminals can learn more ways of doing crimes.
• Some politicians are using news channels to show news in their favor. People may not know the actual truth as different channel says the matter differently.
• Media is making criminals as celebrities.
• The unnecessary importance given to the world of glamour and film industry makes the youngsters live in an imaginary world. It distracts them from the world around them and often from studies.
• Media has been influencing the public opinion. As a result, those who control the mass media have the capacity to sway the public opinion.
• Due to the need of generating higher TRPs, news channels generally selects some conflict as their lead story as it attracts the viewers, listeners and readers. These conflicts includes mostly the most recent and extreme crime or disaster, generally made to look more intense than it really is. The long term, on going news are pushed aside easily and are given no importance at all.
• The mass media is often accused of portraying the female sexuality in unhealthy and unrealistic ways as a means of gaining higher TRP. This can have a huge impact on the values our culture have. The children might develop stereotyped views.
• Too much information can create mass panic in people in the times of critical situations like outbreak of mysterious illnesses in some part of world.
• Media doesn’t ensure the right to privacy. It sensationalizes personal lives, especially of the public figures.

Conclusion :-

Media must spread knowledge and information that influence people in a positive way. Without the support of the people, Media is powerless. It is up to the people to not give it the power to rule the people yet obtaining the benefits from it.

Afterwords :- What are your thoughts on this topic? Feel free to express your opinion in the comment section below.

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