India is one of the fastest growing economies. It is the emerging consumer market for the products and services across the sector. The growth story of India is highly cheered. And Media is no exception in this. Media has the power to influence and shape imagination. Lots are being spend in market research and each segment of market irrespective of income, sex are tapped clearly through advertisement- print, radio, television and now Internet. Every day, advertisers are bombarding viewers with launch of some or the other products/ services. Consumers are now served with hundreds of different brand of one single product, literally.
But everything boils down to a point, is this development which each one of us takes pride in, is for all? For all, here is inclusive of both India and Bharat, as the latter is still haunted by the evils of under development. So does it mean that growth for Indian masses and not for a Bharat wasi?
The rural India again a growing market for sectors like FMCG, Automobile (2 Wheelers) are aimed rightly. But on the contradiction there is deprivation in terms adequate health, education, and transport facilities. So when the private corporate can recognize the potential of the same area, why our policy makers and bureaucrats are have time and again failed to establish a relation in terms of development with the rural masses. Farmers still continue to commit suicide. And no one talks about it, not the media, not the ministries.
The term development is increasingly attracting opposition to it. Be it the construction of Big Dams or mining. The Naxalite issue as stated by our Prime Minister, “as the gravest threat to the internal security of the country”, is one of the debatable topics with media and development being its main components. Contrary to the Governmental claims, many of the human rights activists are citing under development and continuous negligence to provide basic amenities as the root cause of this issue. These extreme anti- states activities are far away from the shadows of the mainstream press. Only the official line is being followed the other side is often shunned. Thanks to the medium of Internet and few radical alternatives press, at least the other side is now being showcased to the common man. So when Rahul Gandhi goes to Niyamgiri Hills in Orissa, where the mining giant Vendanta is denied to mining for flouting the environmental norms, the entire media battalion goes behind him. His speech is beamed live on the television. One wonders, why does the same media, never bothered to cover the opposition to mining firm by the Dongria Khond tribes. Answer lies in simple one word- Business. Mr Gandhi’s speech will definitely attract eye balls and shoot the TRP’s, but when the tribes who opposed the firm to save their culture, tradition would never get the broadcasters the business as the former did.
As pointed by famous historian Ramchandra Guha, our nation is obsessed with 9% growth. It is good to have growth and take a step forward in the path of progress. One would be fool to oppose development. Provided that development should be for all and clearly media holds a powerful stake in bringing the development for all. It can force the government to bring the growth and development in the remotest corner of the country. Force them to bring in frame work policy of rehabilitation, timely and adequate compensation as these factors often attracts opposition. It absolutely can’t be denied that the media always succumbed to advertisers. There is still room for serious journalism, the recent Adarsh Society land grab case, as exposed by the media led to resignation of the Chief Minister of the state.
Speaking on a public forum, eminent journalist P Sainth (with The Hindu) said, “… everything that I want is becoming cheaper and everything my maid servant needs for survival is becoming expensive.” One would oppose to this statement but cannot ignore it. He further pointed out, “the month we rolled world’s cheapest car, that same month we sold the costliest Tur Dal.” The feel good factor of Nano’s launch saw media coverage and plight of common man shelling out big bucks for Tur Dal was ignored by the same media. Sainath was right. Indeed!
India is great nation with rich cultural heritage. We are the nation who managed to escape when many nations were clutched in economic meltdown. We are still doing better that many of the European nations such as Ireland, Greece struggling to survive in its debt crises. We are the nation who was visited first by the US President on his long diplomatic tour in South Asian countries. And yes we are the nation who gave jobs to people belonging to same President who visited us. The development we speak about should be always for all and at the cost of none. Media with its vested power can bring in the change. Then the day would not be too far when we become the greatest nation of the world.
