Media on corruption – Watchdog or Lapdog ?

Is media losing its credibility and integrity ?

Eminent Indian journalists discussed the role of Indian Media on Corruption,  it is whether a Watchdog or a Lapdog. The panel discussion hosted by Foundation of Media professionals , moderated by Pranjoy Guha Thakurta, a journalist with over 20 years experience in print, radio and television, took place in Nehru Library auditorium at Theen Murti Bhavan,  New Delhi on February 18, 2011.

” Media has both tendencies to be watchdog and lapdog ” said Bharat Bhushan, editor in chief of Mail Today. He added that most journalists quickly realize that to move up in the hierarchy, watchdog role has to be subdued and Lapdog role is to be increased.

He further stated “Media itself is structurally corrupt and this helps journalists become entrepreneurial corrupt “, It starts with journalists socializing with people in power as part of their work, they start getting more close to them and eventually become sympathetic to them. If you don`t perform the role of lapdog then your access doors to your sources are shut and the ‘lapdog’ journalist will move ahead of you.  So the journalists try to practice ‘Access Journalism’ but  they end updoing totally ‘Sympathetic Journalism’.

By entrepreneurial corrupt, Bhushan meant the control between marketing department and editorial department has shifted in side of marketing department. And marketing department decides the main focus of organization, keeping in mind the interests of its investors, bureaucratic sources in government.

Sunil Jain, editor of Financial Express, adds there is so much pressure in this profession that sometimes you have to go soft on people in power; For example after a press conference, both CNN-IBN and NDTV will try to get Union Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal on their channel and if NDTV gets him and CNN-IBN doesn`t then CNN-IBN looks like a looser.

Jagdeep Chokhar,founding member of Association of Democratic Reforms says, in recent media interaction of PM with editors of TV channels, only 3 or 4 out of nearly 20 editors ask probing questions, “should we be happy, what percentage is that, 15% , tisra division bhi nahi hai (its not even third division).”

Shalini Singh, Senior Assistant Editor of Times of India, says situation has severely amplified with everyday increase in popularity of Lapdog journalists. Lapdogs are being selectively allowed access to information while watchdogs are kept out. This is a very serious professional risk because editors measure you with the front-page headlines, even when it was ‘a motivated government leak’ to empower their lapdogs.

There is serious dearth of time and resources to do quality journalism. The beat system reporting is biggest problem in becoming a watchdog, in beat system there are few selected individuals who control the information, journalists have to face forced slavery by these sources and this is primarily the reason why journalists are becoming lapdogs. “If you are not in good books of these corporate lobbists, you won`t get even the basic information whereas lapdogs end up getting notes at their door-step.” says Josy Joseph, Editor – Special projects, Times of India.

J Gopikrishna, Special correspondent of  The Pioneer, states the worst threat of lapdogs is in form of story killers. They don`t let the story come in light whether by not publishing story, or by not allotting efficient men on sensitive issues.  The main reason behind this the absence of great journalists, visionary editors, news loving newspaper owners, great visionary readers.

Ms Singh claims earlier Raja`s men selectively didn`t allowed her entry in Sanchar Bhavan the day the 2G licenses were awarded; the new minister said to “set me straight” and “see how you will entre DoT” office. Gopikrishna says that Journalists don`t come to rescue of our fellow journalists, referring to a Nov 2008 incident where a minister in Raja conference threatened Shalini singh and no journalist came to her rescue.

Ms Singh further adds it is clear that watchdog journalism is on the rise but watchdog combats three major obstacles – the intellectual capacity and emotional depth to keep going in extremely complex conditions, the ability to standup complete dry-up of sources both in government and in business and falling in the intellectual trap of ‘how can I (one) make a difference’

Jain says, the choice depend on person to person whether he wants to be an editor or feel content in doing what he is doing.

“The divide is clear, there are few watchdog and large number of lapdogs journalists but all are not compromised, many of them are simply overwhelmed and just don`t believe that they can make a difference. If they can gather the courage to cross-over, the balance will shift ” Ms Singh said.

“It’s very impressive that now one channel is not isolated, if one channel takes up one issue, others organization also come forward to raise a collective voice against the issue” said Prabal Pratap Singh, Executive Editor of IBN 7 news channel, who broke out Adarsh Housing Society Scam.

At the end of day, are journalists doing justice with the right of information of common people who are not awared about the realities of inside world of Journalism. Ramcharan Mehta, a truck-driver in early 30s, says mostly I believe what is reported in newspaper but not always, sometimes for example thousands of people die in a calamity but newspaper report only hundreds died; and  “I have seen in movies that few Journalists report fraudulent facts and even cook stories “.