VISUAL MEDIA

                       THE MEDIA-DOES IT GOES BEYOND LIMITS?

Earlier the communication system was very careful in passing on the News through the press. Complete editing and followed corrections were applied meticulously before releasing the matter to be communicated to the public. Now the visual media has taken over almost everything. They are very hasty in releasing the news without going through the correctness of the matter that is being published.

The competition amongst the different media, to excel over others and also to gain popularity, finally result in incorrect and untrue information passed on to the people. Such a situation will cause damage to the social fabric due to false information being propagated through the media. It is seen that corrected version is later published by which time the reaction of the public has already created irreparable loss to men & materials.

Such kind of overdose in spreading daily news through the visual media must be curbed to arrest ugly scenes in public. Frequent media discussions through programs like NERKUNER and NERECHOVE etc will add fuel to the burning fire! Also such discussion will vitiate the process of the legal proceedings against the crimes already reported.  A parallel “Judiciary System” through the visual media is not desirable in the interest of an impartial judgment from the Court of Law. Also this kind of discussions in the TV programs will kindle up unwanted reactions amongst the public leading to mutual enmity and hatred resulting in “Street Fight” between political parties.

I am therefore of the view that the media must exercise absolute control over the news that are being reported by the field staff and carefully ascertain the correctness of the matter before publishing the same for the information of the people. No ‘Yellow Journalism” to be encouraged at all costs.

Abraham Mangalath Philip.