Role of Media in Combating Corruption

In our democratic system we have the role of three important organs i.e. Legislature, Judiciary and Executive. These organs of state are assigned with different roles viz. making laws, deciding legality or illegality and Implementation of laws respectively. These three arms of the democracy are given their respective areas to work on and with the sole objective of service of people or welfare of the common masses. The relative dependence or independence of these organs are always considered a matter of discussion. In some countries there is total separation of these three organs and there are countries like India where the executive is part of the legislature. The constitution has clearly defined the roles of these units and there seems to be no overlapping even in their functioning. But yet we cant say in our nation all these three organs are performing even to their average capacity. Corruption i.e. using official postion for personal gain is widespread in these institutions. It is difficult to find good and honest people in these institutions but yet there are people who are making our country stronger every coming day.

Can we say that these organs of state democracy are working to the benefit of common masses? We may be sad to know that our answer may be BIG NO. Legislature is given the task of making laws but we all know the quality of debates in Parliament and State Legislature. The number of days parliament functions is even less than 60, however several committies have suggested at least more than 100 days. Judiciary in practical sense is very far away from common man, imagine an institution that is working for the people finding people afraid of it. We all cant deny that in our heart. Executive who is expected to touch the common man seems to be very high class strata of people who are finding common man untouchables. Untouchability which our constitution ended through article 17 has taken a new form everywhere. Solutions are emerging and problems are changing but the pace is really vary.

What is the solution? Do we need any other organ? Any new pillar of democracy to strengthen it? We all know that a structure can be strongly supported by four legs then any other combination. So we need the fourth pillar in democracy. Right, with the help of technology and intellectual capacity of individual we have it i.e Media.

Media We all know what is Media. Media is actually refer to medium which help us to know the unknown thing which otherwise would have remain archaic and hidden. We have different media performing their different stated objectives e.g. Print Media, Television, Social Media through Internet, Mobile Phone and so many new which may be coming in the time to come.

Role of Print Media

The oldest of the modern media is Print Media which comprises of Newspapers, Books, Journals etc. The most common is Newspaper which has the maximum reach to the common man. We are almost imcomplete without our daily newspaper. We should remember that during our freedom struggle the role of newspapers like Gadhijis Young India and Harijan, Tilaks Kesari, and Payam E Azadi, Maulana Abulkalam Azad's Alhilal and many others. They raise people to took part in freedom struggle of India. Print medias coverage is enormous. Even in the rural end when no other facility is available newspapers reach and they apprise the common man of the happenings in the nation and the world. Because of extensive reach, Print media has the power of making or breaking the government not satisfying the will of the people and it can help in overthrowing any government due to its negative engagements like corruption.

Role of Television

24 X 7 News channels are currently very effective in reaching to the common man. The people can watch their leaders working and can judge themselves what is happening. It really becoming a standard to judge the strenghth and weakness of Political parties. Recently we have seen in the election of USA President how the debates between the contestants for President can be detrimental in winning or losing. Even a megre act of failure or lapse on the part of the government is reaching to the common man and they will be judging them on the basis of that. Elections compaign is done through TV. So open and unbiased Television Coverage can help the nation in shaping the effective public opinion and will help in improving the lapses in our social institutions. Several Exposes by the media these days have become a regular feature and in fact part and parcel of reporting. The scams like CWG, 2G, Coalgate, Vadra-DLF, Poorti-Gadkari etc. may be silent had the Television may not be there.

Role of Social Media : Internet

Social media is latest in the invention of media. The internet has really brought a revolution in reaching and forming independent and authoritative public expression and opinion. Individuals through Facebook, Orkut, Twitter, You Tube etc can express their concern and can bring huge changes in social setup. We all have seen the Jasmine Revolution in Middle East. This was articulately arranged through Social Networking Websites only. Social Media has toppled the Governments and can do that in future also. Many Politicians and Government Offices are reaching directly to common public through Facebook and Twitter these days. The news of your good or bad deeds can reach at a viral speed thanks to social media. It really makes many authorities cautious while performing their duties.

Role of Individual imbibed with Technology

Mobile phone today has become an internal organ of Human Body. The most direct and convenient way possible to reach to a person is through Mobile Phone. We all have seen several exposes on Television being brought about by the video recording of the corrupt practices of Government authorities by individual common man. Now corrupt officials fear every mobile phone. Mobile has really become a deterrent in combating Corruption. We can conveniently record the voice while talking to somebody over phone. I dont think there could be any facility better than this to expel out corruption from the current system. An individual can not be armed better then a mobile in our fight against corruption.

Can be rely on technology or media in our Endeavour against Corruption?

This is really a very serious issue to discuss. We are better with technology in media but is that sufficient. We really need something else. We know that these media institution are doing their job sincerely at large but some serious structural as well behavioral changes are needed. We need to constantly update the various mechanism which can affect common man and we have to find new ways of dealing with menaces like corruption. Static and Rigid Solutions will not help us in weeding out the corruption. There is no particular remedy for that but a collective fight from different ends has to come in. Since the means of corruption keeps on changing likewise our ammunition has to be updated, media can be used for that.

Behavioural Changes

Public servants are always in limelight thanks to the media. Any wrong deed or misdeed can be lethal to the image of the concerned department or ministry. On many occasions we have seen Ministers clarifying articles printed in the Newspaper. Recently in THE HINDU our Finance Minister Sh. P. Chidamabaram clarified the matter printed in the article of that Newspaper and gave his version of story. This is a regular issue these days. Many politicians who are appointed Spokesperson are judged on the basis of their handling of Media. Bureaucrats are very formal and cautious while responding to media queries. Political Leaders are also cautious of their image in the media. They know that this medium only can take them to address so many potential voters.

Structural Changes

Internet is a very powerful tool and it has changed the mechanism of service delivery. We neednt stand in the queues or find favour to get our work done instead one can simple log in to respective website and can enjoy the services whatever one wants e.g. there are public sector banks like SBI which are asking their customers to apply for personal or car loan or any business loan online. The eligibility will be decided based on the information given by the customer and finally after submitting the documents in support of the information loan can be sanctioned within minutes, an assessee can file his RoI online and check his refund status without visiting Income Tax Office. This is happening in India and we can really learn lot more from other organization which are working in this regard and making the life of people easy.

Internet can be used

-in disseminating information to the public

-providing online services as delivery chanel

- taking feedback from the public through social media

-Judging the performance of the Officers and Official based on the social survey

like on Facebook or twitter.

Even Right to Information, 2005 mandate that maximum information must be provided by the various department online in order to reduce the request of information via paper.So it all depend on the will of the authorities how to harness the resources available to us in the form of media.

We have to rope in more and new methodology to bring in more structural changes that can suit the convenience of people.

Media : Sharp tool to be handle with care

The best advantage of media is that it can help a person to connect to many and develop public opinion. But what happen when media start taking decisions? This can be dangerous to the society. Many honest people can find it tough to take good initiative if the outcome would not be as desired. Media trial i.e. the judgement process and then decide the culprit has become a regular feature of media these days. Innovative mind people who want to take good initiative may find it difficult to work under such circumstances. Media may on the basis of few preliminary reports may culprit the honest authorities and can make them corrupt in the eyes of common man.

Policy paralysis is a very common term in the government sector these days. Higher officers are not willing to take decisions as it may in future be termed as the wrong one and they may be labeled as CORRUPT, first by damp media and then by common man.

Whether 2G was SCAM or NOT?

Recently after the CAG report of 1.76 lac crore 2G scam the auction as per the Supreme court order was done. But to the astonishment that open auction had fetched Rs. 9400 crore only. Ofcourse there are some operational mistakes in allotting the 2G licenses but media had made it the total lost. Care must be taken in reporting such issues and all aspects must be judged properly.

Conclusion:

We all know that corruption is not a new phenomenon it was there during ancient time and it is now also. Kautilya in Arthashastra described forty types of corruption and our Central Vigilance Commission describes some 27 types of corruption. We can all talk about that but the solution lies in the new things that are coming like Internet, Mobile. We have to use the media for the betterment of the people and Media has the capcity to weed out any new malpractices including any form of corruption but our endeavour must be dynamic. We need to develop new solution to the new problems with all the new things and support available. To fight corruption we need a mental revolution rather Moral revolution as well. People have to understand that a nation cannot progress if people will not work for the betterment of it. And corruption can never make our nation strong. Unawareness is the biggest cause of corruption and can play a very important role in spreading awareness about rights and duties of Government officers and officials and public as well. Thus can help in combating corruption.

May we all realize this.

Anwar Ali

Note-This essay is based on pure brainstorming during my training at Direct Tax Regional Training Institute, Chennai. Most of the ideas are contributed by my colleague Mr. Mohd. Tayyib, Inspector of Income Tax