Prof. Mahendra Singh
Media is the cornerstone of a democratic society. In the global scenario, it’s even called the fourth estate. So there is no doubt that media plays a very important role in anything that happens in a country. In the current scenario, I have no complaints with the reportage and news that are circulating in the media. The media is working under a lot of constraints and there is only so much it can do. While many have circulated information in a moderate way, a few are being very provocative. It is media’s primary responsibility to understand the situation and try to be moderate and balanced while reporting. You can’t be imposing and unbalanced. The public is facing a lot of hardship and there’s a lot of suffering in every sector. And we need to find a solution at its earliest. This has been going on for just too long. The media should support this and push write-ups and articles towards finding solutions and look over individual egos and agendas. National level media has a great role to play in all this and though they have been doing a commendable job, the editor and the editorial board has never had a greater responsibility – try to create an impact through moderate, mild, and impartial news.
Prof. Ram Krishna Regmee
There is no denying that media has shown its strength in many ways. But where there are strengths, there are also weaknesses. On one hand, media has been successful in raising the voice of the people but on the other hand, it hasn’t been able to open a good channel of communication or disseminate information properly. After the Constitution was promulgated, media was right there giving all sorts of news about it and keeping the public updated but what it failed to do was an analysis of the constitution and what it entailed. There were many people who weren’t happy with the constitution and the media wasn’t able to inform them properly that if they weren’t satisfied they could change it, and that the process wasn’t that laborious either. I think journalists main responsibility right now is to educate themselves and then the public about the Constitution so that people are better informed and able to make the right decision. Regarding the blockade, I’m quite satisfied with the variety of coverage that’s out but despite so many reports and news, media hasn’t been able to pressurize the government into finding a solution. I also think there is a gap in field reporting and quite a few reporters have their own sensitivities regarding the situation. Editors, in general, should be aware of that and act accordingly.
N-REO launches multi-listing system targeting agents to manage...
Dr Manju Mishra
In the current context, media needs to play a positive role. The country is finally moving in the right direction with Constitution promulgation and all, but the media hasn’t lived up to its responsibilities. The biggest concern at the moment is which media to trust when every media comes out with its own information. That aside, every media house acts as a lone entity when in actuality, during crises like these it should unify and represent a common voice. When your nation is at treat, there needs to a greater sense of oneness. That is lacking in our media today. If that were to be taken care of, media can put pressure on the government and the International bodies would wake up too. Personally, I also believe that blaming others is useless when we as individuals have become complacent. More than the political leaders, I think intellectuals have become corrupt in the recent times, which is why we are suffering today. It’s, to a large extent, due to our own inadequacies as well. Coming back to the role of media, the need of the moment is for all editorial boards to come together, take a single stand with the sole aim of finding a solution. If that were to happen, change is inevitable.
Yam Bahadur Dura
Times like these obviously require the media to be on top of their game. It’s not only a source of information, media actually plays a crucial role in enlightening the masses of their rights. It can even inspire the public to raise their issues in front of the administration. It has the power to hold the state mechanism accountable of its responsibilities. On the other hand, they can also help maintain peace and encourage patience. So far I believe the media houses are mindful of their influence during this turbulent time in our country. Personally I have not detected much biasness and quantity wise I believe there has been extensive coverage of the issues that need attention.
What has been a little disappointing is the lack of analytical articles. I believe there are many cases where more in depth examination and investigation was necessary. Be it the unchecked black market or the lack of coordination between the parties, I think the media owes the public a behind the scenes access and analysis. There hasn’t been much of this as there should be. There could be many factors causing this inept coverage. Perhaps the editorial policies are interfering in the reporting or perhaps the reporters haven’t carried out sufficient studies on the matter.
