Media-Its Challenges in India

As we all know our media industry is booming at a fast rate and is comparatively younger to that of the western countries.Its challenges varies according to the fields it caters to.When we talk about the urban media approaching the rural sectors,not many people there would be willing to cooperate with them.Sometimes,it becomes a sensitive issue approaching a sector where people are not accustomed to cameramen and journalists enquiring about their lives or related incidents.That again,limits the horizons of the urban media which is constantly trying to cover the rural pockets of the country.Which is why probably 'alternate media' is more successful as it is run by the people themselves.

Talking about the field of politics,given the influence that the government operates on media(as we are slowly coming to know more and more about:),it tends to dilute the power of the medium and its ability to report the truth.The latest trend being 'paid news' which highlights the commercial aspect of this industry.At the same time bringing forth how corruption is seeping into media itself.(as if nothing else was left!)

The biggest challenge however,lies in how media is criticised when they want to bring out the naked truth in front the people,be it a celebrity,a politician or even a common man.All the media houses get to hear is "why do you want to know?'What they fail to understand is that by virtue of being a democratic economy,everybody has the freedom to express,including the media.Also,the social personalities are always cribbing about how much the media twists and turns their words and make a juicy 30minute show out of it.Well,they are a part of the society and their actions are accountable for.We are the ones who make them and they turn around to question why we are interfering in their 'personal' lives.They are ones who have chosen the profession-not us.Their profession has no personal dimension as such.It is the publicity they have got from us that they are 'celebrities'!!

Well,although media faces a lot of challenges but at the end of the day this is not 'Satyug'..for all those who think that am pro-media..ofcourse I am!But that doesn't mean that it is as pure as gold.It has its own ways of attracting attention,generating revenues and all which might not be the optimal method to project information.However,media has a long way to go!Long live media!Hope there are no more of Radia tapesPlease!