COMRADES
Information Media or the press including the visual media is essential for the functioning of a vibrant democracy . It is the media which brings in information of all sorts which is vital for the peoples decision making in Political, social and economic spheres.
Indian Republics Constitution postulates as per Article 19(1) a that "All citizens shall have freedom of speech and expression". This freedom is fundamental and is only amenable to reasonable restriction in the interest of the Public good
Our courts has take this right to such extends that even increasing the prices of paper so as to make it difficult for the common man to buy it is violative of the Article 19(1)a .
The Media brings in the mode of advertisements and News and films and television serials etc all information good and bad to the public . The public acting on this information takes decisions in their day to day life as well as district, state, national and world politics for their progress and prosperity in peace. This as a corollary makes it manifest the importance of the media and the Government and the Judiciary are anxious to uphold the freedom of the media .Without information the right of speech and expression becomes useless for without information no one can express their thoughts as to the good and bad of a thing or act.
Now a days with the commercialisation of the Media profit motives dominates the media to a great extend and patriotic journalism is waining off and the media is more interested in sensationalising the news to appeal to the passion of the masses and increase their circulation and monetary gain. This malady has eroded the sense of ethics in the Journalists ,who bolster up the news and writeup news reports sensationalising and magnifying things making scapegoats of Innocent people and things .This has done great harm to the erudite profession of the media and destroyed many an lives and family including concerns and companies. With the coming into prominence of paid Journalism and Media publicity ,rich and influential persons are planting news so as to see that their interest is furthered .This is sounding the death knell of true Journalism as the media goes after profit and gives a go by to truth .Yellow journalism is a product of the degeneration In India the editor and the persons in charge of the media has a duty to see that only truth is published The courts has gone to the extend of saying that the editor is duty bound to ascertain the truth of the news that is published. If the editor publishes reports which are not fully true and makes additions and alterations so as to suit the denationalisation and arousing the passion of the masses then it is defamation and the Kerala High court has rightly said that in such cases conviction should follow.
Even though the editor or reporter may not know the person against whom the News is published and may not have any spite or ill will against the victim ,this is not sufficient to dislodge the inference of malice for Malice in law is doing something illegal against any person or entity. If News is published falsely or partly falsely ,lack of malice is no defence in a prosecution for defamation by forging false public documents and circulating the same as true among the public. MOBS OR RATHER PUBLIC CONGREGATIONS ARE MOVED BY PASSION AND NOT BY REASON ,SO THE DANGER OF SENSATIONALISING FALSE PUBLICATIONS WILL RESULT IN MASS UPRISING FOR ILLEGAL PURPOSES ON TAKING THE FALSE NEWS AS TRUE. FALSE AND FABRICATED NEWS WILL DESTROY PERSONS AGAINST WHOM IT IS INTENDED .SOME MEDIA INTERVIEW ON TELEVISION IS AN EXAMPLE OF PUTTING NOT TRUTHFUL QUESTIONS TO EMINENT PERSONS AND IF ONE WATCHES IT WILL BE EXPLICIT THAT THE QUESTIONER IS INTERESTED IN NOT ASCERTAINING THE TRUTH BUT TO ASSERT THAT WHAT HE IS SAYING IS TRUE AND FOR THIS PURPOSE MANY A ANSWERS AND QUESTIONS ARE TWISTED AND FALSIFIED. NO INTERVIEWER IS ENTITLED TO PUT QUESTIONS WITHOUT ANY REASONABLE BASIS .EVEN IN COURTS IF THE ADVOCATE WHILE CROSS EXAMINING A WITNESS PUTS QUESTIONS WITHOUT REASONABLE BASIS, IT WILL BE MISCONDUCT SUFFICIENT TO INVITE DISCIPLINARY ACTION.Thus it is obvious that Media is essential to the progress of human beings in peace but those who are abusing the media should be dealt with firmly andwith the rights of the media the duties of truthful publications should be strictly adhered to . Truth of publications is a defence to any action especially if it is for public Good.
( All propositions herein has legal basis)
Gadhadharan.p3/604,Manipuram lane
Nadakav, Calicut-673011
Kerala State, India
09847087545
www.keralites.net          |
To subscribe send a mail to Keralites-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
Send your posts to Keralites@yahoogroups.com.
Send your suggestions to Keralites-owner@yahoogroups.com.
To unsubscribe send a mail to Keralites-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com.
Homepage: www.keralites.net
No comments:
Post a Comment