Skip to content Skip to navigation

Keeping a tab on the Media

The role of the media in today’s society is two fold. It reports the goings on of our society as well as tries to reform its social evils. But there is a certain section of the electronic visual media which also attempts to kick off a controversy by exaggerating their reporting which ultimately leads to a public outcry followed by its repercussions.

The recent furor created by the Beltola violence where Adivasi rallyists clashed with locals is a direct result of such a trend. Moreover, it also exposed the gaping ignorance of the national channels regarding the region that is termed the northeast.

The media’s attempt to sensationalize the incident of the Beltola clash reached boiling point when it telecast repeated footage of an adivasi woman being molested by a few sick youths. The news item gave the impression that such incidents are a common occurrence in Assam whereas in reality Assam and the entire northeast is known for the equality of the women folk and the absence of Dowry which plagues the rest of the country. As a result Assam is burning today reeling under the violence and counter violence. Bandhs, road blockades, group clashes are still going on in many parts of Assam, the tea gardens being the worst sufferers.

Sadly, the doings of a few twisted youths has stained the name of Assam and it’s the duty of the government and administration to bring the culprits to book.

As is the trend in India the politicians are trying to cash in on the situation by politicizing the whole situation which has led certain organizations like the All Assam Student’s Union and the Adivasi Student Organisations to say “Stop giving a political colour to the unfortunate Beltola clash.”

Though the All Assam Adivasi Mahila Mancha has hinted that it would intensify the agitation demanding Scheduled Tribe status but it also promised that the forthcoming agitations of the tea community would be violence free.

The Assam Press Correspondence Union (APCU) has appealed to the media to exercise restraint while reporting on the protest programmes of the agitating communities. It also stressed that the media should lead the way to peace in crucial times. Similarly the Journalist Federation of Assam (JFA) too has called upon the media to remember its accountability to the state and place its reports in a controlled manner.

The media should refrain from sensationalism for the sake of news for it does more harm than good to society which is its bedrock.
Author info

Rituparna Goswami Pande's picture

Journalist, writer

Comments

charles's picture

From the beltola incident some media mainly national media canth go on defth of the incident and just saw the news one sided and try to established how assamese society behave to female and they were barbaric society from here i request to them feel the assamese society how they sober and kindness to others but AS U WROTE IN U ARTICLE ITS TRUE AND I AGREED WITH U STILL HERE NOW EQUALITY OF STATUS STILL HERE WITH FEMALE WITH RESPECT AND ABSENCE OF DOWRY WHICH IS NOT HERE IN ASSAMESES SOCIETY STILL, BUT DOWRY AND DISRESPECT TO FEMALE IS VERY MUCH STILL TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. AND THE NEWS ITEM SAW BY NATIONAL NEWS CHANNEL GAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT SUCH INCIDENTS ARE A COMMON OCCURRENCES IN ASSAM AS U TOLD I AGREED WITH U ITS NOT FAIR BY NATIONAL NEWS WHT THEY HURT TO ASSAMESES SOCIETY AND ADIVASI IS BELONGS TO ASSAMESE SOCIETY THEY ARE NOT OUTSIDERS AS BANGLADESHI . The article u wrote as shown others journalist put a news correct way with courage AND dignity , u way of article is always appriciated by me and to others as i feel carry on.............
jay's picture

Well, what I think is that incident like Beltola are just an eye-opener and an insight into what may be coming in days ahead. Something to be worried about and if history is any indicator, then we may have moved well into the MAYHEM culture. Looking back, nobody thought Masjid would be brought down with Stones and shovels because 'THIS WAS NOT OUR CULTURE', Young girls of minority community would be raped and thrown to fire in Gujrat because 'THIS WAS NOT OUR CULTURE', Leaders from communities are openly claiming that they are icons of religions first and then an INDIAN because ‘WE ALWAYS TOOK PRIDE IN OUR NATIONAL IDENTITY’, but all of this happened and is happening and we could not stop it. We are still fighting over the ownership of a piece of land thought to be the place where Lord was born, gone are the days when women was respected for WHAT SHE WAS, ‘A WOMEN’ and not a piece, whom anybody could have claim on to, and not only in Assam but across the length and breadth of our Country. I have been to most part of India and travelled extensively and of all places North East was the only place where I found women had a lion’s share in general life. I saw her working more hard than most men, I saw that she took her decisions and stood by it and was proud of it, there was a glimpse of confidence one could see when she moved on streets. And let me tell you somewhere the society accepted this and lived with this. But I am afraid; the incident at Beltola could change this. The article was well written but I am afraid the question which you have raised about the electronic media is misplaced, not because they were trying to say what I read in your article but I felt the article should have been addressed to all those people who stood by and watched the incident. The poor girl had to walk; all the way to nearby Dhaba to get a cover, What were all those WOMEN-RESPECTING individuals did when this happened? Why not anyone thrashed that person there and then and saved the girl? Media openly claims that ‘SHARUKH and SEX’ sells, so they managed to SELL this incident in the best way they could, but an article from you, can make people think where they are heading to, make those people think who watched this incident as to what they could have done. I know people like you can make the difference and we look upon you. Nice article.
rituparna Goswami Oandey's picture

Thanks Jay on yr comments on the article. I agree with you that the people who were a witness to the Beltola incident should have come forward to save the modesty of the adivasi women. But in the above article i wanted to point out that a certain section of the media especially national channels do not represent the northeast in its totality. The northeast has other things worth reporting than terrorism, tea, and the one horned rhino. No doubt the media has to portray life as is but it should also exercise restraint while reporting sensitive stuff. For the repurcussions of the Beltla mayhem have not yet ended. Similarly the Gujarat riots would not have been so horrifying had the media exercised restraint. For its the nature of man to react in a certain manner when instigated. But the main aim of the media and the govt should be to punish the guilty with their visual evidence not telecast these evidence un censored which leads to further loss of innocent lives. As ultimately its the politicians who pull the strings of such incidents for political gains only.

Pages

Add new comment

Random Stories

Gogoi woos investment from abroad

20 Feb 2015 - 10:35am | editor
Jorhat turns into a hotspot for business tycoons from many parts of the globe as the international trade fair is underway.  Business tycoons from Afghan, Myanmar, Nepal along with other parts of...

North East Games gets underway

30 Jan 2008 - 2:36pm | editor
Despite a chilly Wednesday, the North East Games gets underway at a colourful fuction organised at the Sarusajai Sports Complex where Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi took salute of the march pass by...

Safety Week observed at Nagaon Paper Mill

13 Mar 2016 - 11:47pm | AT News
The 45th National Safety Week, observed at Nagaon Paper Mill (NPM), Kagajnagar on 4-11 March witnessed a series of activities including administering of safety pledges, wearing of safety badges by...

Sri Krishna Janmastami underway

18 Aug 2014 - 6:27pm | AT News
 Janmastami is being celebrated with much traditional religious fervor across the state to mark the birth day of the Lord Krishna on Monday. Well decorated temples and namghars are teeming with...

Other Contents by Author

This women’s day I salute those unsung ‘heroes’ who have withstood the onslaught of fickle fate. No they are not faces in the crowd rather they are the crowd whose faces we don’t remember. They are those who are living in the periphery of life, battling everyday issues of home and hearth.I bow my head in reverence to the grit of Mausam’s mother who put aside her grief after losing her only son to Ewing’s Sarcoma in order to stand as a pillar of strength to her broken husband who unable to bear the tempest of misfortune had almost lost touch with reality. I like many others was a helpless bystander of the tale of woe that had fallen like a bolt from the blue on this poor family.  But...
If I had wings and were a birdWould travel the world and orbit the EarthOr had I been a butterfly Eclectic colors would be mineI would hover over trees, flutter over blooms, On a spiritual high, I would go into a swoonShould I be a fish and swim the seaPass through oceans or haunt a reefWith beautiful corals for companyThe heart would leap at Nature’s bountyHad I been a fir tree insteadMy leaves would flutter in snow headsThe flirty wind would kiss my soulThe icy breeze to lift me up, life would be on a rollWhat if I were the season – SpringOrchid blooms, newness to ring inNo, no let me be the sky, the endless blueFar from earth, to keep a watch on youBut then my mind looks to the...
I, KazirangaShedding tears of bloodMy children, the four leggedIn men no longer trust.God’s blessed beings are theyRoaming the wildsIn search of prey and hayOften trapped by wily menCaught unawaresBy a poaching handLeft to dieWith bleeding woundsWith their hornsCut by forest goonsNo where to runNo where to hideTheir haven encroached by thugsTheir skies taken over by two legged bugsFeigned protectionI don’t seekI, KazirangaWill continue to bleedIf there is no messiahLet my children not desireAny solace from cruel fateBut march towards extinction and Heaven’s gate.
The fact that we need to celebrate Women’s Day portends that all is not well in a women’s world. Or else why would we need to single out a day for millions of women who have equal rights and status in the world they inhabit. We don’t have a men’s day which is evidence enough that all is hunky dory with their race.The UN theme for International Women's Day 2013 is "A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women," while International Women's Day 2013 has declared the year's theme as The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum. But then is it really gaining momentum?As we celebrate Women’s Day today a woman is probably being raped in our rape capital i.e. Delhi or any other...
Lately every morning we have been waking up to screaming headlines of animal killings in the newspapers. Rhinos being poached with their horns brutally severed and left to die,elephants electrocuted or hunted down, their bodies mutilated and left to bleed to death. Gory pictures of animal atrocities splashed in every newspaper, every channel. It really makes one ponder as to how low humans can stoop to gratify their covetous desire for money. Twisted minds are targetting the animal kingdom, mute creatures, innocent beings who do not care nor bother to know how our world has become a slave to money. The world Heritage site Kaziranga National park has seen 20 rhino killings this year and a...
All Hindus become epitomes of excitement to the run up to the festival of the auspicious Durga puja. Pandals coming up everywhere, idols being given finishing touches, revellers thronging the markets, discount offers, designer wear on sale and so on. Everyone is under the grip of puja fever and the associated excitement.But for once if we shift our focus away from ourselves and our frivolous acts and ponder over the plights of those innocent animals that would be sacrificed during the puja offerings, I am sure the smiles in our faces would be wiped off. At least the smiles would vanish from those faces who have a little compassion for the four legged. Imagine the little pigeons, a symbol...
From bedraggled beggars on the streets to the suit clad brokers on Wall Street – the ubiquitous cell phone is everywhere, in every pocket irrespective of the rich / poor status of its owners. It is no longer an item of luxury albeit it’s a must have today, a necessary evil. For technology comes with a price and the technology behind mobile phones is sure to make mankind pay a heavy price – the price of health and safety. The recent furore created in the media worldwide over the possible hazareds of mobile phone radiation has made us sit up and take note of the pros and cons of using the innocent looking mobile handset which had till date so surely and surreptitiously...
Man is an animal first and a social animal later. However, our ‘social’ status has failed to erase our animal instincts, which lies dormant in our basic dispositions. The urge to spread violence, the need to kill, and the thirst to quench our carnal desires are proof that there is still some animal in us. These urges raise their ugly heads in the form of homicides, rape and molestation incidents, and mob violence etc putting mankind to shame. The dangerous of all is our affinity towards the mob mentality that threatens to ensnare us at the slightest pretext and at the slightest of provocation. The term “mob mentality” is used to refer to unique behavioral...
The mellifluous tinkle of the Sarod permeated the atmosphere under a canopy of twinkling stars and a soft breeze that emanated from the somber Nilachal hill. Ustaad Amjad Ali Khan and his sons Amaan and Ayaan performed at the open amphitheatre in the Kamakhya temple premises striking a divine chord in all our hearts. The setting couldn’t have been more striking. The silhouette of the sanctuary at the backdrop and the stupendous performances of maestros were the perfect mode of the two day Kameshwari Music and Dance festival 2010. Dance and music have been an inherent part of temples in India since times immemorial. In order to appease the gods these art forms have always been...
“The Assam State Zoo encompassing over 130 hectares of land boasts of an astonishing collection of some rare and extinct species of wild animals settled comfortably in their natural habitat.” This is how a website describes the zoo in our city. However, the ‘stay’ of the animals there is far from ‘comfortable’. The captive animals in small enclosures with hardly room for free movement is a far cry from comfortable. The Assam state Zoo boasts of white tigers, one horned rhinos, Swamp tapirs and leopards to name a few. The zoo is also prosperous in the avian branch and plays host to rare species of birds. Sadly, the animals are caged for better viewing of...