Globalisation, Journalism And Gandhian Ethics

Gandhi’s newspapers suggest that his purpose of journalism was to serve the society in all respect and inspire the mass for a greater cause. His overreaching concern for addressing the communication needs of the general public became evident when he expressed that English alone could not be a medium of the newspaper. Hence, it is clear that Gandhi’s practice of journalism set high ethical and moral standard by practicing mass oriented and value based journalism. He adopted persuasion as the only means to bring about change, be that in India or South Africa. Gandhi built his own ethics even in his role of a journalist and followed the same until his last.
One major factor that changed the face of journalism is Globalization and although globalization has helped in the interconnection of different cultures, countries, people but it is not that interrelated when it comes to media ethics. Hence, it has been a challenge for media ethicists to define a global code of journalism ethics.
Gandhi believed that it is sincerity, sympathy and charity that touch the heart more than anything else. Gandhi as a development journalist showed an example to the present day media how to practice ethic based and development journalism. But where is the place for ethics in the globalized market place and corporatization of media houses, ownership of the media house by the politicians, paid news and propaganda have been the real threat for ethical journalism.
It is true that the profession is changing and it can be said that at present scenario most of the media organizations are becoming ‘social entertainers’ and profit making is the mantra for them. It is no accident that no television channel in India today has any place for mass oriented content. Newspapers lack in-depth study or research on subjects relating to the nation. Events are more important than issues.
Gandhi also showed that if the purpose of journalism is pure, the journalists don’t need to rely on markets and only then media can serve and enjoy the freedom as well as its sanctity. Thus, Gandhi, while favouring press freedom, advised the press to observe self-restraint.
Looking at the need of the hour, rural development was given importance in the Gandhian journalism, as he was keen on rural development which would play a key role in national development. Gandhi focused on development journalism and consistently wrote on the subjects that were beneficial for the masses. Today sensationalisation of news has become the measure of success in the journalistic field, while the Gandhi’s journalism was fully in conformity with his ideology of non-violence that it did not provide for any content which would cause fear in the thought of the reader.
The media specially the electronic media with the power of visuals at its command - which can make deep impact on the mind of the viewers, has lost the balance that was seen being created in the pre-liberalization years in India. It is also likely that political news content has increased not only in newspapers but in all the media, especially satellite/ cable TV.
Liberalization has brought in the curse of consumerism to the people who have been getting indoctrinated in the art of consuming and in the process getting consumed at the hands of the promoters and sellers. The decline in the content of the media of every classification has ripped off the mask of decency and moral in the family. The nation and any thought in regard to the nation is being presented in a glamorous environ.
To compete with the visually dominant media, the print media also has loosened all the holds it had been imposing upon itself by self-regulation and thereby the newspaper which was hitherto the only source of common man to know about the world. The public at large had the trust in the news given and held them in high esteem, however with the excessive commercialization and being committed to a person or a political party has seen the manipulation of the Fourth Estate.
The Press and media have lost faith that it used to command earlier. The journalistic ethics set by persons like Gandhi, Lokmanya Tilak, Agarkar and many more who had written with the sole purpose to create public opinion and to bring awareness among the huge mass of illiterate natives of the British India are seen to be followed more in breach today in the background of the liberalized economy which is guided by the market forces rather than the social and national interests.
It might be unjust if the Press and the Media are restricted to follow all the ethical standards as set by people of the times of Tilak and Gandhi, but nevertheless the manner in which the Press and Media is allowing itself to be so widely open that it forgets that it ought to be only transparent and not irresponsible by being torn in its contents. Truth and truthfulness are at the heart of the journalistic enterprise. On the whole, journalists aim to be truthful. But there are times when in order to be truthful or to obtain information so that a truthful story may be told, reporters believe it necessary to lie.
Conclusion: Gandhi’s views was that the newspapers were meant for public service, they should not compromise on their role in society, and the concept of profits should be regulated to the background advertisements from the businessman, the newspapers tend to be influenced and they yield to the process of those advertisers. Hence, it would be worthwhile to revisit Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy and principle of journalism and his contribution as a journalist.
In India, the press is dominated by certain news values in the post-Independence era. Of course, every press system in the world can adopt different set of news values keeping in view the country’s priorities or the newspaper’s readership profile. Gandhi outlined that the basic purpose of newspaper was public service. In serving the people, the newspapers were expected to transmit news that would transform the individual from wrong doing to righteous behaviours. Almost all Gandhi’s writing had aimed at moral transformation of the individual while reinforcing moral conduct in him. It is also important to note that Gandhi faced many problems and challenges while running the newspapers but in spite of various problems like financial, administrative pressure, Gandhi continued to publish his newspapers to serve the people without compromising on providing free and fair journalism.
 

By: Abhishek Sharma