The media scene in the country is full of fizz now, what with new newspapers, channels and magazines either hitting the market every day, or slated to hit the market soon. Well, for once I hope this will put an end to the dominance of the few traditional media players who knew how to play politics with their media clout to get what they wanted from our political leaders.
If professionalim is ushered into the media by this boom, I am only too happy about it. And from the frenzy that some of the traditional players are working themselves up into, I guess they are very much threatened.
The sad part may be that all this new media may not mean much for our democracy. The freedom of the press enshrined in our Constitution is there so the media can help keep a check on those in power. However, our media players invoke that right only to dish out the sleazy and seamy side of human life. They have consistently forgotten their political duties, while clamouring for their constitutional rights. And I don't doubt the new players will be much different either.
Media is a business and every player here thinks of it as a business. That brings us to the question: do we still need that clause about media freedom? It would be draconian to just delete it from the Constitution, but it would be equally diabolic to let these profit-focused media houses enjoy that freedom - and use it - only for making money, while giving the go by to their primary duty as conscience keepers to the nation.
Is there a way out? There could be and we need to find one. Media houses worried only about making money should not enjoy the benefits any other business does not enjoy - whatever guise they may give it to cling to it.
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