Media and CorruptionGujarat NRE Integrity Theme Presentation

Dr. Ipshita Basu GuhaResearch Student

Dr. Renuka GargHOD, DBIM, VNSGU, Surat

The Crumbling INSTITUTIONS

• CVC‟s National Anti-corruption Strategy paper

clearly indicates that institutions around us are

crumbling

• Corruption is rampant at all levels and domain

• India gives the perception of extremely high

intensity of corruption from the lowest rung to the

highest

• India‟s ranking as per Transparency

International in 2010 is 87th in the world.

The Crumbling INSTITUTIONS

The institutions like :

• Judiciary

• Legislative

• Executive-political as well as

administrative wing

• Armed forces

• Private institutions-media including

• Non-governmental organizations

The Crumbling INSTITUTIONS

President

Vice President

Prime MinisterCouncil of Ministers

Minister Minister Minister

Secretary

Additional Secretary

Joint Secretary

Administrative Structure of Government of India

Source: www.arc.gov.in/viet.ppt retrieved on 06.12.2010

Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances

The Crumbling INSTITUTIONS

District Administration

Source: www.arc.gov.in/viet.ppt retrieved on 06.12.2010

Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances

District Collector

Regulatory Administration Development administration

Law and order

Land administration

Tax collection

Coordination

Points of Corruption common in India

The Crumbling INSTITUTIONS

• Political Corruption

• Administrative Corruption (Armed forces,

Foreign services, Customs, Taxation,

Excise, Environmental Boards, Forest)

• Business-linked Corruption (including

education, healthcare)

• Culture and ethics of citizens further

compound growth of corruption* It is a Catch-22 situation

The Crumbling INSTITUTIONS

• Fostering sources for Corruption

– Government Laws, Acts and Policies

– Discretionary Powers of Executive

– Lax Enforcement Agencies

– Business Environment & Framework

– High Inflation (Cost of Living)

– Vested Interest like Lobbyists

– Declining Moral Standards in Society

(Power, Anarchy, Greed)

Fighting CORRUPTION

• Who will POLICE the Police

• Systems and procedures are necessary to

keep check on Enforcement Agencies like

CBI, CID, Police, Armed Forces, Court

Judges, Octroi Officers, Factory

Inspectors, Forest Officials

• Media is the only body outside the direct

clutches of the Government and

Administration

MEDIA – To fight corruption

• One of the active tools to fight corruption world-wide

• Accessibility to huge masses

• Educating masses about an issue

• Opinion creation by presenting cases of people who have risen without being corrupt

• Highlighting wrongful practices hitherto unknown

• Bringing clarity to issues

The Road less TRAVELED

• Media and journalists especially should tread where “angels” fear

• Corruption should be brought out in day light

• It requires will and courage on the part of the 4th estate

• They have the tools and the eyeballs

• Promote cases of good Samaritans and role-models for the new generation

• All they need is to Deliver

The Road less TRAVELED

• Biggest example of the impact of Media -

Watergate Scandal involving US President

Richard Nixon in the 1970s

Source: http://photos14.flickr.com/17068074_1914a4097a_m.jpg in politicaltherapy.blogspot.com retrieved on 06.12.2010

The Fourth Estate - MEDIA

• The term Fourth Estate refers to

“Independence” of press according to

American concept

• Independence is accompanied with

obligation, responsibility and accountability

• Independence also includes culture and

ethics in reporting

Source: www.wikipedia.com

The Fourth Estate - MEDIA

• The original term Fourth Estate coined by Edmund Burke (1787) in a debate referring to press reporting

• Burke was Irish Statesman, author, orator and philosopher

Source: www.wikipedia.com

The Fourth Estate - MEDIA

“Burke said there were Three Estates in

Parliament; but, in the Reporters' Gallery

yonder, there sat a Fourth Estate more

important far than they all.”

Source: www.wikipedia.com

History of JOURNALISM

• Johannes Gutenberg‟s printing press revolutionized the world of journalism

• First daily newspaper – Daily Courant –1702

• The New York Times started in 1851

• Journalism has evolved many folds since the early 1700s

The Fourth Estate - MEDIA

• Fourth Estate has now given way to a

broader term – MEDIA

• All kinds of communication – electronic

(TV channels), digital, multimedia,

Internet, blogs, “tweets”, social network

apart from print media like newspaper and

magazines

• Media has become extremely active and

real-time in reporting with access to

masses

Media Reporting BIAS

• Strong bias exists in reporting especially in

India

• The voice and tone of discussions and

debates indicate the proclivity of a

particular individual if not the channel or

paper

• Selective reporting*

• Suppression of news ** Common in India

The VIEW or MY view

• Journalists are expected to report the facts

AS IT IS

• Associations sway THE view to a personal

view

• Journalists are mixing up the view

• Amanpour was also subtly charged with

lack of objectivity and a case of bias

during the Bosnian War Reporting

Ethics and ACCOUNTABILITY

• Society of Professional Journalists have a

Code of Ethics

– Seek Truth and Report It

– Minimize Harm

– Act Independently (Journalists should be free of obligation to any interest other than

the public‟s right to know)

– Be Accountable (Journalists are accountable to their readers, listeners, viewers and

each other) Source: http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp

Media – Corrupt or NOT

• Certain segments of Media are corrupt

• Recent Niira Radia tapes clearly shows

unethical practices in journalism

• The fine line between news snooping and

gathering to lobbying or ideological leaning

has been blurred

• Act Independently clause in the Code of

Ethics is generally not followed in India

The lure of TRP

• Higher TRP is directly linked to higher

advertisement revenue

• TRP is a huge factor behind news

reporting on either television or print media

• The aim is to break a news first and

ensure TRP rather than the follow-up story

Is it about MONEY?

• Talk shows are shallow and wavering

• Group discussion on television news

channels often show the coordinator in an

aggressive mode rather than being a

facilitator

• Often issues framed depending on pre-

determined conclusions

• Inconvenient views are shut down by

advertisement breaks and time outs

Is it about MONEY?

• Instances of selective reporting are rampant today

• Money does play an important role in media

• Funding of channels, newspapers and the personal aim of the funding agency are highly critical

• Channels do display left – right bias

• Need for focused funding to fight corruption through media

Breaking NEWS

• Christiane Amanpour shot into fame after

the Persian Gulf War reporting in CNN

• „Breaking News‟ was the keyword

• Indian media has made a mockery of the

criticality of „Breaking NEWS‟

• The assassination of a leader gets same

status as two youngsters of different

communities eloping and getting married

Role of Media exposé

• Media expose are meant to create

awareness

• To prompt agencies from being

complacent

• To highlight corruption at various levels

• To bring a closure to issues when

remedial measures are taken

• … not just Sensationalize and Fade

Break ke BAAD

• Media‟s Breaking NEWS does ensure

some amount of action from the

concerned agencies

• Recent Examples

– Lalit Modi case is an example

– CWG Games and Suresh Kalmadi

– A. Raja 2G Scam

– Adarsh Housing and ex-CM A. Chavan

– Yeddurappa‟s Land Scam

Break ke BAAD

• Most media are not COMMITTED to

follow-up reporting

• Example: CWG Scam – Do we know the

status today?

• „Public memory‟ is short and limited

• Awareness levels are low about general

issues (or issues beyond current domain)

• Lack of follow-up weakens any good story

and is pushed under the rug

Break ke BAAD

• Channels are in a rush to slot news items

as „Breaking NEWS‟

• The focus fast shifts to another story either

in a day or in couple of hours‟ time too

• The lure is for TRP

• Channels or papers clamoring to highlight

who “broke” the news first rather than the

quality and depth of reporting

Break ke BAAD

• Media is not so effective in weeding out

corruption because

– Lack of seriousness in reporting

– Lack of objectivity and independence

– Lack of detailed research and explanation

– Reporting bordering on advocacy of a cause

or issue

– Competing on breaking news with rivals

rather than quality

– Ad-hoc reporting, lack of focused, sustained

efforts

Break ke BAAD

• Example of good media:

– Tim Sebastien of BBC discussing the Doha

round of WTO

– The discussion is highlighted with multiple

views, public voice in the audience, multiple

episodes and seriousness in discussing and

reporting

Educating the MASSES

• Average population does not understand

politics, economics, administration or

finances

• Most corruption issues revolve around the

above factors

• People need to be educated about an

issue while reporting it so that the

significance or consequence is established

• The media is not doing it in India

Educating the MASSES

• For a layman -

– What is the meaning of GDP at 9%?

– What is fiscal deficit?

– What is the Hurriyat Conference?

– What is the Telengana issue?

– What is the 2G scam?

– What is the aim of JPC?

• 80% of the population will not be able to

answer the above

Changing scenario of MEDIA

• In the 80s it was the Newspaper

• In the 90s with cable TV, came various

news channels

• In the 21st century – it is the Internet

• The various streams – Tweeter, You Tube,

Blogs, Social Networks have

revolutionized the term „Media‟

Blistering BLOGS

• Today everyone with a view can be a

Journalist

• People can post their views on issues and

be heard too (this never happened earlier)

• The audience is the entire world and not

some parochial few

• People can debate on blogs through

comments and counter – comments

• How Amazing!

Blistering BLOGS

Source: ajayshahblog.blogspot.com

Truculent TWITTER

• People from the Taj Hotel „tweeted‟ about

themselves while being held hostage

during 26/11

• Tharoor‟s tweets cost him his job

• Modi‟s tweets during the IPL games have

put him in the dock finally

Truculent TWITTER

Vista on YOUTUBE

• Pictures don‟t lie

• Technology enablers like compact

Handycams, Mobile Phones help capture

live action

• Youtube has given the platform to the

masses to showcase events in video

format

Vista on YOUTUBE

Need is CONVERGENCE

Source: http://www.marketingonthebeach.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/convergence_media_journal_du_net.jpg retrieved on 06.12..2010

Need is CONVERGENCE

• Media can help fight corruption through

convergence of all avenues including

education

• Corruption issues need to be dealt with

news articles, TV channels, blogs and

discussions, frequent tweets, even videos

to prove the point

• Multiple sources of information will help

corroborate facts and bring out issues in

the open

Ethical DILEMMA

• Use of Media creates Ethical Dilemma in

certain instances

• Sensitive issues aired without due

verification can ruin image and reputation

of the innocent

• Respect for Privacy is another aspect that

needs to be considered

• Truth comes at a price

. . . Future

• Whistle blowers - support of media -

Satyendra Dubey - pointed out corruption

in Quadrilateral Project. More such cases

needed

• MNCs spend money in “educating

Indians”- Rebecca Mark had remarked in

1996 that Enron corporation had

* Spent $20 million to educate Indians-

euphemism for bribing political &

bureaucratic establishment

. . . Future

Combating Corruption

• Increasing political accountability

• Strengthening civil society participation- role of media included

• Creating competitive private sector

• Institutional restraint on power- checks & balances

• Improving public sector management

• Infuse corruption related awareness in our education system

. . . Future

Civil Society Participation

• Civil society - citizen groups, NGOs, trade unions, business associations, think tanks, academia, religious organizations, media

• Educational institutions should have in-depth sessions highlighting this issue and process for tackling the same

• Whistleblowers under RTI should be protected and helped in their mission

. . . Future

Civil Society Participation

Media can:

• Create awareness - (information) carry

surveys on corruption, service delivery,

diagnostic assessment - disseminate

information about existing pattern; bring

together anti-corruption groups

• Build opinion - sensitize, mobilize

. . . Future

Role of Media

• Lobby for new legislation, judicial reforms,

freedom of information,

• Publicize reports of Citizen Report Card

(initiative of Samuel Paul in Bangalore)

• Provide response mechanism to public so

that can give leads to media - toll free

numbers, websites etc.

• Coverage – to important happenings

. . . Future

Media – the strategy – Form partnerships

• Join hands with private companies/ government establishment/ NGOs/ advertising agencies.

• NGOs for mobilization, grass root contact;

• Private companies for funds, organizational support – E.g. Tata Tea advertisement “Jaago Re”

• Channels can be like National Geographic or Animal Planet – channel with a cause

. . . Future

Media – the strategy – Form partnerships

• Advertising agencies for research and

content development;

• Media - free space

Media – the strategy – Influencing Policy

• Positive Lobbying

• Putting pressure through editorial content

to critical issues afflicting the anti

corruption systems and building opinion

. . . Future

Media – the strategy – Influencing Policy

• Comparison of systems in other countries

• Highlighting best practices- in the country

& worldwide

• Providing platform to people wedded to

the cause – mouthpiece to reach the

masses

. . . Future

• The modern Media is highly evolved

• It is the right tool for fighting corruption

along with other avenues like Government,

Citizens and Ethics Committee

• Honesty and accuracy while reporting will

be of prime importance

• Unethical practices of journalists and

media have to be brought to light to build

credibility