Ethics of 24*7 Media

Media, the Fourth Estate, plays a pivotal role in influencing public opinion and this has always been recognized
by governments across the world. It is widely accepted that Media freedom is the cornerstone of modern
democratic society. However, there is also an acute awareness that the media should be responsible in what and
how it reports and also clearly distinguish disseminating information from analysis and opinions. With the
advent of technology, the world has shrunk to wavelengths and information-sharing and social media has
provided a platform in bringing about major changes, it is essential to take a critical look at the role and the
responsibilities of the media. However, urgent steps must be taken so that the media is responsible in what and
how it reports, and how it distinguishes between giving information and editorializing.

Defects in the functioning of the media

1. Paid News

Paid news or paid content are those articles in newspapers, magazines and the electronic media, which
indicate favorable conditions for the institution that has paid for it. The news is much like an
advertisement but without the ad tag. This kind of news is a serious violation of citizens trust and since
the media exercises direct influence on voters, this issue has raised electoral concerns Secondly, the
payment made by the political parties usually violate tax laws and election spending laws.

2. Twisting Facts

One day, a leading English newspaper published on its front page a photograph of Justice Gyan Sudha
Misra of the Supreme Court with the caption: Supreme Court Judge says that her daughters are
liabilities. This was a distorted and fallacious item of news, published on the front page.
Supreme Court Judges have to disclose their assets and liabilities. Against the liabilities
column, Justice Misra had written: two daughters to be married. Strictly speaking, it was not necessary
to mention this because liabilities mean legal liabilities, for example, housing loan, car loan, and so on.
Justice Misra's intention was obviously to say that she would have to spend on her daughters' future
marriage. She has three daughters (no son), only one of whom has been married. Justice Misra never said,
nor intended to say, that her daughters were liabilities. The news was false and defamatory, with the
obvious intention of creating a sensation.

3. Projecting non-issues as real issues

Media often portrays non-issues as real issues, while the real issues are sidelined. The real issues in India
are economic, that is, the terrible economic conditions in which 80 per cent of our people are living, the
poverty, unemployment, lack of housing and medical care and so on. Instead of addressing these real
issues, the media often try to divert the attention of people to non-issues. Such as that the wife of a film
actor has become pregnant, whether she will give birth to a single child or to twins, and so on. Are these
the real issues facing the nation?
At a Lakme India Fashion Week event, there were 512 accredited journalists covering the event in
which models were displaying cotton garments, while the men and women who grew that cotton were
killing themselves at a distance of an hour's flight from Nagpur, in the Vidharbha region. Nobody told that
story, except one or two journalists, locally. While the press and news television brought some sensitive
questions, including issues of justice, to the fore from time to time, several issues, including the conditions

of the constabulary, development of capabilities in the police force, and security of tenure facing the police
officers did not get adequate reportage. There was inadequate coverage of issues like torture, custodial and
encounter deaths.

Virtue-ethics based analysis of the consequences

India is passing through a transitional period in its history, from a feudal agricultural society to a modern
industrial society. This is a very painful and agonizing period. The media must help society in going
through this transitional period as quickly as possible, and by reducing the pain involved. This they can do
by attacking feudal ideas, for example, casteism and communalism, and promoting modern scientific
ideas.
When mass media indulges in practices that are tantamount to committing a fraud on the public,
in India and elsewhere, it sends a signal that it is willing to diminish or even abrogate its role as a
protector of public interest and enforcer of accountability. The revelations about paid news have cast the
proprietors and managers in the role of villains, but journalists themselves have not been above suspicion.

Trust-ethics based analysis of the consequences

Phenomenon of masquerading advertisements as news is posing a threat to Indian democracy. The

common man still has faith in the media, but the credibility is fast eroding. "Paid news" in India and others
parts of the world essentially emanate from the fact that much of the mass media is dominated by
corporate conglomerates that are primarily interested in maximization of profits. The "fourth estate" in the
worlds largest democracy often emphasizes commercial considerations rather than search for the truth
and hold accountable those in positions of power and authority. In pursuing its quest for profits, it can be
argued that certain media organizations have sacrificed good journalistic practices and ethical norms.
Paid news is not just an ad, they cheat the election law. For the larger political parties, what it
costs is minor compared with what they spend overall. The delinquency of influential sections of the press
was responsible for the emergence of the paid news phenomenon. The same article would appear in
different names extolling a Chief Minister or an Opposition candidate who was willing to pay for the
propaganda in the guise of news. Paid news on politicians and political parties subvert one of the most
fundamental of democratic ideals: the purity of the vote. The autonomy of the media is meant to facilitate
greater accountability of public personalities and reduce corruption. But when the media itself indulges in
corrupt practices, especially during election campaigns, it seriously undermines the processes and
structures that are meant to uphold and strengthen democracy.

Hindsight versus foresight analysis of the problem-resolution

It is no surprise, then, that the paid news problem as an organized phenomenon appears rather intractable,
involving as it does, lawmakers and politicians cutting across party lines and representatives of sections of
the corporate media who coexist symbiotically. This nexus cannot be weakened easily. At the same time,
in India, a more alert citizenry (including readers of newspapers and viewers of television channels) can
and has made a difference in bringing the problem of paid news to the public domain.
In addition, sections of the country's mass media (some of which are on the fringes of the socalled "mainstream") have highlighted -- and will hopefully continue to highlight -- this corrupt
phenomenon. Still, not all those named have been shamed. However, there is currently greater awareness
of real and present dangers that paid news poses to Indian democracy.
There are two ways to remove these defects in the media. One is the democratic way, that is,
through discussions, consultations and persuasion which is the method I prefer. The other way is by
using harsh measures against the media, for example, by imposing heavy fines on defaulters, stopping
government advertisements to them, suspending their licences, and so on.
In a democracy we should first try the first method to rectify the defects through the democratic
method. For this purpose, I have decided to have regular get-togethers with the media, including the
electronic media, so that we can all introspect and ourselves find out ways and means to rectify the defects
in the media, rather than this being done by some government authority or external agency.
I propose to have such get-togethers once every two or three months, at which we will discuss
issues relating to the media and try to think of how we can improve the performance of the media so that it
may win the respect and confidence of the people. If the media prove incorrigible, harsh measures may be
required. But in my opinion, that should be done only as a last resort and in extreme situations. Ordinarily,
we should first try to resolve issues through discussion, consultation and self-regulation.

Corrective justice based analysis of the consequences

Media organisations, both big and small, must observe self-regulation. Corruption in the form of paid
news, an awful phenomenon, would grow in the absence of self-regulation. The PCI does not have teeth
and the Election Commission of India doesn't seem to have jurisdiction or capability to stop this. paid
news menace had started out as an aberration, went on to become a disease and is now an epidemic.
Journalists' unions have called for strengthening the Working Journalists Act. The unions assert that the
contract system of employment now in vogue undermines the independence of the journalist and the
primacy of the editor. The Delhi Union of Journalists even informed the Council that selected journalists
had been targeted by managements of media companies for not acquiescing with such malpractices.

Creating
Awareness
against paid
media

Self
Regulati
on

Remedi
es

Govt
Contro
l

Market
Competiti
on

Creating Awareness against Paid Media

I.
Modes for creating awareness:
Social Campaigns
Govt ad campaigns on media against paid media
Internet platforms life facebook , twitter. E.g. Facebook page-India against Paid Media.
Using state infrastructure of panchayats and samiti to create social and political awareness
Expanding education coverage across mass empowering them to differentiate paid media from
neutral media.
II.
Effectiveness of Approach:
Target population is massive. A combination of methods to reach audience.
Suffers from low capital investment and lack of investors.
Internet has less penetration in India
Internet penetration in India: 34.8% of population
Govt has been restricted from focusing attention to control paid media. Reasons being
i. dominance of industry houses on State Govts,
ii. politicians using paid media as a powerful tool to influence masses
iii.
Free Press Movements from time to time
iv. Vote bank politics
III.
Effective Implementation Strategy:
Indian society is going through a phase of transformation. The late 90s and the first decade of the
millennium saw a spurt of media both responsible and paid. Education coverage and economic conditions of the
population is improving. It would have a beneficial effect on increase of awareness against paid media. Customer
self-regulation practices would be a self-selecting and efficient tool to control paid media.
Self-Regulation by Media Houses
5

Free Media by itself is decentralized. Self-Regulation by media is in view of the Freedom of

Press.

Effectiveness of Approach
i.

ii.
iii.
iv.

Media today is dominated by contracts, especially the emerging media houses.

Hence the self-regulation and media neutrality model may not be an effective
model.
Guarantee of editorial independence may encourage media neutrality.
Such guarantee is seldom provided in houses governed by commercial interest of
owners.
Moral Responsibility to Code of ethics of journalism ,as defined by Bill Kovach
and Tom Rosenstiel
o Obligation to truth
o Loyality to citizens
o Discipline of verification
o Practitioners be allowed to exercise personal conscience.
o Provide a platform for public criticism

Effective Implementation Strategy:

Media houses need to promote journalist freedom and independence

Being a self-regulation mechanism media houses need to be an independent monitor of power
Media houses need to maintain independence from corporate houses, resist political pressure

Regulation by Govt/Judiciary:
Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology presented its 47th report on
the Issues Related to Paid News in the Lok Sabha on May 6, 2013
Effectiveness of Approach
Definition of Paid Media :The committee asked the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to
formulate a comprehensive definition of paid media and remove ambiguity. Proposed measure:
Circumstantial Evidence
Press Council Of India: Chairman of PCI is selected by the chairman of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.PCI
has powers to receive complaints on violations of journalistic freedom an corruption in media.
Functions of PCI:
i.
Help newspapers stay independent
ii.
Build and review code of conduct of media
iii.
Review development that has chances to restrict information
Limitations of PCI : Does not have power to penalize news agencies and journalists and can only monitor
functioning of press media.
A regulatory Overhaul Approach: Creating a single body for electronic and print media and enabling
them with punitive powers.
Effective Implementation Strategy:
6

2006:Govt prepared a draft Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill.It mandates licenses for broadcasting
on television and radio. It also enforces content regulation.
Cable Television Network Regulations Act 1995 are referred to for using codes for broadcasting on
television.
Judiciary can enforce punitive measures against cases for errants to act as a deterrant.However such
verdicts can be debatable under the right to freedom of press.

Market Competition:

This concept is based on the faith of market and competition being a dominant force to stabilize demand
and supply.
Excess entry of business houses in the media domain would reduce profitability. Hence the need for
quality and product differentiation would arise.
A Porter model analysis reveals that in future customer will have high bargaining power. Owing to
surplus media networks available, the need for market consolidation would be the dominant strategy.
Need for market share would ensure increase in quality of content.
Hence in the longer run, market forces may stabilize the industry and minimize media corruption.

Optimal Solution:
Media business being a dynamic industry, the future cannot be controlled by one strategy. It is a binding
of forces of ethical journalism, govt monitoring, customer sensitization and market forces that would
contribute to success against forces of paid media.

Negative
Forces

Remedie
s

References:
The Hindu, Media and issues of responsibility by Markandey Katju, October 21,2011
The Hindu, Paid news undermining democracy by P Sainath, April 21,2010
http://www.prsindia.org/theprsblog/?tag=press-council-of-india
http://www.newslaundry.com/2013/06/21/chaperoning-our-paid-media/
http://www.thehoot.org/media-watch/law-and-policy/another-media-regulation-initiative-7817
http://www.le.ac.uk/oerresources/media/ms7501/mod2unit11/page_11.htm
The importance of Self Regulation of the Media in Upholding Freedom of Expression Andrew Puddephat