Bachchan wedding trivia is not news

The media as a watchdog of society had better get its norms and standards right

Adlai Stevenson in 1956 had famously remarked that “the free press is the mother of all liberties and our progress under liberty”. Not many would disagree with that. Also there is nothing to be gained by saying that the citizen’s right to know is more important than the media’s proclivity to project or print what it perceives is the truth.

In this era of digital technology, it takes only seconds for news to not only traverse continents but, importantly, impact the minds of both the common reader/listener and the decision-maker. An occurrence somewhere far away finds its reverberation thousands of miles away, owing to the media’s all-pervasive reach and impact. Naturally, this awesome power requires the media to remain not only truthful, objective and fair, but also serious in its orientation. It should resist the temptation to resort to an overdose of sensationalism, saucy gossip, glamour and glorified trivia.

The most recent case in point is the Bachchan wedding where, amazingly and regrettably, a large number of TV channels went into overdrive over trivial details of the wedding despite not having been invited to cover the event. Could it be that misconceived and crass commercialisation is overtaking their otherwise good sense and sophistication? Forcing such trivia bordering on trash on unsuspecting viewers is unacceptable.

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In the past few weeks we have had many significant events of both national and international importance which have been covered most inadequately, particularly by the electronic media. Only poor Doordarshan — does it have a choice anyway? — stands out as having done its bit! The SAARC summit, the Indo-Chinese border talks and visits by various heads of states to India have been all been glossed over. Amazingly, our president, with his Gandhian sincerity, and our prime minister addressing important conferences, hardly get any coverage. The media cannot justify this by claiming that it is only giving people what they wish to see or read. The media must understand the basic truth that they also have the responsibility to inform and shape public opinion. Since the media is seen by millions to be the ultimate watchdog of society, it needs to be conscious of its own norms and standards. We in this great democracy wish the media even more strength. But as an old soldier, may I humbly suggest to the media — the electronic media in particular — “to heal thyself” and not bring contempt to this great institution by glorifying trivia. Let the medium remain the medium. It cannot become the message.

The writer is a retired lieutenant-general who was the first head of the Defence Intelligence Agency