........ Indian journalism is presently facing a crisis of both credibility and competence. In the past few years we have witnessed increased public scrutiny of the executive, the legislature and even the judiciary. More recently we have witnessed some early signs of a similar scrutiny of the media.
The cynicism and anger that have come to characterise public criticism of the other three 'estates' will sooner rather than later be seen in the criticism of the media. Each of the 'four estates' have from time to time drawn public attention to the shortcomings of others. Sometimes three of the four have combined to bring the fourth to heel.
So far we have not seen in India a coming together of the executive, legislature and the judiciary in a joint bid to discipline or rein in the media. During the emergency, when media was under attack, the judiciary was in fact an ally of the media. When the Rajiv Gandhi government proposed an anti-defamation law, the entire media stood as one and with support from other political parties resisted the move.
Today, the media will find it more difficult to defend itself against such scrutiny and regulation. The day may not be far when public opinion will demand more accountability and transparency on the part of media organisations. With public opinion on its side, the executive and/ or the judiciary may well begin to demand such accountability from the business and editorial heads of media organisations, and from prominent television anchors and columnists, not to mention the regular reporters.
What is worrying, however, is that in response to such public anger and cynicism the media may be turning populist -- a standard response of a politician -- in an attempt to ingratiate itself to its critics. This too is a dangerous trend. Media populism is in part a response to public anger and, paradoxically, a response to public disdain and indifference.
To an extent this is the logical culmination of the phenomenon of qualitative development not keeping pace with quantitative growth. The 'dumbing down' of the media brings in its train disregard for it, disrespect for it, disenchantment with it. This makes the media ripe for greater regulation.
If Indian media wish to avert this threat, then it must look within, introspect and rediscover professional values. This is easier said than done. It is not because of a lack of will that this has not happened. There is often no incentive for such introspection and no reward for mending ways.
The good thing, however, is that we live in a society and a nation in which we have the freedom to debate these issues. In paying tribute to the memory of Sharada Prasad, my generation must pay tribute to his for the freedom they secured for us and for posterity.
Shouri was a freedom-fighter, like Kamalamma [Sharada Prasad's wife], like my father and my grandfather and grandmother. Their generation was the architect of a unique experiment in human history -- building a vibrant and liberal democracy in a diverse and stratified society, a backward and poor economy. Shouri epitomised by the best instincts of that generation, symbolising the liberalism and pluralism of a generation that was inspired by Gandhiji to value High Thinking and Simple Living.
These values are under threat and the media is not doing enough to protect them. By encouraging those with contending view points to argue with each other, we are not doing enough to create greater consensus between conflicting views.
The greatness of the Indian people is not that we are argumentative, as Amartya Sen has celebrated with an eye to a global audience. The real greatness of the Indian people is that we are in fact consensual. Merely because we invented the 'Zero' and made possible the binary 1:0 system, the foundation of the current information era, does not mean that the Indian mind sees the world in black and white. Thinkers like Sharada Prasad have always reminded us of the range of gray possibilities in comprehending the reality around us.
The day the Indian media moves away from its binary world view, its argumentative 'me and you' divides, and moves closer to the consensual frameworks of reference of a people who have always valued the idea of Sarva Dharma Sambhava -- of Unity in Diversity -- it will have created a new paradigm, a very Indian paradigm, in the world of communication.
That would be the best tribute we can pay to a great Indian, a truly renaissance man, a liberal scholar, a non-argumentative Indian like Sharada Prasad!
Dr Sanjaya Baru is the editor of the Business Standard
