MEDIA DISCOURSE

The media, as part of the fabric of our social world, participate in constant discursive change. How we can describe this process frames our thinking about it, and becomes in itself a form of analytical discourse. Because of our habit of thinking in binary pairings, these most often been articulated in oppositional terms. The media are seen as abandoning their public service ethos in favor of entertainment, and as moving steadily away from public concerns towards private and personal. Although critics are not unanimous in viewing these as wholly negative developments, the terms in which change is expressed tend to predetermine the conclusion that will be reached. Concepts such as ‘tabloidization’, ‘infotainment’ and ‘dumbling down’, applied to the media’s information genres such as the quiz show or talk show, suggest potential benefits. Television schedulers and programming commissioners have been reluctant to sustain a public service ideal against the consumerist tide.

Earlier the news was always to the point. But    nowadays a consumerist model of media audiences and readers, typifying them as impatient pleasure seekers, has become such a accepted mantra that questioning its assumptions may seem perverse.

Instead of characterizing ‘public’ and ‘private’ entertainment as a pendulum swinging from one extreme to another, I argue that we need instead of reinvestigate them against a model of citizenship that is inclusive, engaged and open to challenge and debate.

 Presumptions about the public’s lack of tolerance for information can become self fulling prophecy: scheduling decisions, for example, may make informational programming increasingly accessible on television. The consumer had however briefly become also a citizen. The focus of media has gone to evolve relationships between the concepts of ‘public’ and ‘private’ evident in popular TV shows, ’the reality TV shows’ and media in coverage of celebrity scandals.

 When Sachin Tendulkar got tennis-elbow injury, the concern about his injury dominated news in India. Whereas the serious important incidents in India like farmer’s suicide taking place and railway accidents and many other incidents are not taken into consideration.

This mesmerizing preoccupation with celebrity personalities and human interest is one of the central complaints of those who allege that the media are ‘dumbing down’ or indulging in ‘infotainment’ or ‘tabloidization’ at the expense of serious news.

 Claims that intensifying competition for viewers and readers is encouraging timidity in pursuing analysis of home or international affairs.

 The main news about road accidents, the poverty of people, the sufferings of people and many more are given at most important but the most important of all the news of the governance of the government is not at all given importance by the media.

There are some news which are shown for some durational period but is later forgotten, like the biggest treasure which was found inside the temple in south India. What have become on it? What are they going to do with it? How is the govt going to take care of??? There are many such more issues in India which is still pending?

 There are many news channels and medias who are trying to compete for getting more TRPs thus they try to use unfair means by getting more TRPs. They mix up information and entertainment which makes up infotainment so they could try to absorb more people to watch that news. They try to make more curiosity in the minds of people and try not to make it creative or active. They make the people passive.

 In newspapers, most of the information is about local news, gossip, part, famous people and celebrities. It seems to me that now page 3 has conquered the whole pages of newspaper. Some newspapers have short catchy headlines to catch the eyeballs of the people.

 The current affairs programs, increasingly shunted around the schedule, parade populist titles such as ‘Sansani’ etc. to signal relevance to a supposedly apathetic audiences.

 The concerns of the critics of ‘tabloidization’ extend beyond these arguments to qualitative worries. The information on news is on those things which are apt to arouse curiosity but require no analysis. The resultant emotion can become ‘aggressive’ enough almost to qualify as symbolic lynching. The audience or readers cease to be addressed as ‘citizens’ or ‘active participants’ in ‘democracy’ and are perceived instead as mere consumers eager to be diverted by gossip and scandal.

The tabloid news/channel news makes “the personal not only the starting point but also the substance and end point”. This is what I suppose we call       “a depoliticization of understanding”

  Examples; the news of Rakhi Sawant’s open chest top was put in headlines.

News of Veena Malik got lost. She was only missing for one day and then media put this on headlines.

One more example about a boy who got trapped in the well. This media had put this news for continuous 48hrs.

This is what the news and media are nowadays.

  

There are some positive aspects of the changed media like, the economically backward class; illiterate, farmers, fisherman and most importantly women have also became part of information receivers which was earlier only domain of literate upper middle class and rich class. Both the TV channels and newspapers are available in many vernacular languages. And many vernacular languages have serious news, local issues but are not shown in national news channels.

New additions have been made, earlier many articles were not allowed in the newspapers but now there are many articles like child upbringing, feminine issues, investmental oriented topics and issues, business issues, educational issues etc.

Thus it is unwarranted to say that the Media has moved only in wrong direction but it also has some positive and bright spots direction in its journey.

Media which is called “3^rd pillar of Democracy” and due to new technological advances is becoming the prominent of the all. Thus media should          self-regulate itself and follow some moral ethics and just not run after the TRPs for them in my opinion are having the power of reshaping the future society.