Media and Society

DECEMBER 2015 TOPIC: Does the media create a hype over crime and corruption? How can the media play a positive role in our society? Your comments.

Yes, the media does create a hype over crime and corruption. But from the media point of view it is for the awareness in the public. Media can play a positive role by not being biased to any party or group and portraying information purely on truth rather than hyping any news which is considered as negative at times. Also by giving much space and attention to news like development and national achievement it can play a positive role. The media is evolving more into public opinion and views rather than making a statement by itself will give a positive side to media.
Bhakti Makwana (19)
Nagindas Khandwala College, Mumbai

 

OMG! Another crime. The newspaper’s getting filled with crimes. But do these crimes display the real situation? Do these crimes deserve that level of publicity? Or it’s the media that glorifies a situation to increase the TRP. Well! The media today hypes a crime which contributes in leaving a bad impact on the impressive youth. Media which is a powerful tool, which reflects the mindscape of a country should rather avoid exaggeration of crimes and should reveal the truth without distorting the facts. Whatever the media is going to present should be in a healthy tone with positivity in it.
Alina Ali (13)
St Anthony’s Junior College, Agra

 

What we read and watch affect our brains directly or indirectly without us realizing it. Our mind gets easily influenced by surrounding facts, that’s why media should give more emphasis to positive happenings and should suggest solutions for negative happenings. Our society will improve if the news becomes a source of inspiration, hope and positivity.
Anushri Shukla
IGNOU, Allahabad

 

As a student and observer of media I personally feel media publicizes murder cases, rapes and various crimes and corruption excessively with hullabaloo on news channels, social networking sites as well as TV shows. Yes, I do agree people should be aware of various mishaps happening all around but repeating the same again and again all over spreads negativity. High profile cases such as the Sheena Bora murder case are given more importance than farmers and labourers in India struggling for life and development in villages. Media should take up various ways of developing the country intellectually. They can also take up activities where youths of the country come together to help the villages in our own small way.
Apoorva Yadav (16)
Brijlal Biyani Science College, Amravati

 

Yes, it is true that media creates a hype over crime and corruption, and of course it should do this. Today, in a country like India, where crime and corruption are the major problems, it is the only way for raising awareness about the various activities around us. It is an instant way to bring awareness to the vast population. It is the most important source of information these days. “Media of any country is the reflection of that country”. Positive roles played by the media makes the country strong.
Divyakriti Masaun
Sun International, Jhansi

 

In my opinion creating “hype” is certainly NOT what media does. It is the work of the media to bring forth those latent lacunas of our administrative system. The role of media in any democratic setup is to use their power of question and vocation to make the public authorities answerable, accountable and responsible in front of people for good governance without being prejudiced by status, power or money of any such figure, and thus, can contribute in a positive way to our society.
Vatsala Sharma (20)
Law College, Dehradun

 

The media surely creates a hype over crime and corruption by stating one news in ten different ways time and again. There is hardly any difference in the content but for just the expressions they use. They try to move the masses by brainwashing their emotional side. The media today is one of the most widely used means of passing information and so it is very important that the media uses its power efficiently. It should not exaggerate the content and try to maintain the consistency in whatever way possible.
Harshita Sood
Delhi University  

 

The media frequently reports on criminal activity as it has a right to do. However, some believe that the media sensationalizes crime, so as to create moral panic and that this is used as a way of controlling how the public behaves. However, the media helps to present different points of views and issues where opinion differs. While it can lead to blind imitation, it can also serve as a source of inspiration. Overexposure to media can cause information overload, but its right use leads to a global exchange of information.
However, if used wisely, the media will give us a platform to voice our opinions on social and political issues. Owing to its reach and ease of access, it increases general awareness. It is the best source of information, entertainment, and inspiration. It provides us with effective means of communication, making the world a smaller place.
Shweta Mhatre
ICL Motilal Jhunjhunwala College, Vashi

 

At this juncture, the media appears to us as a ‘commercial game of truth and hype’ and presents itself as the media partner of crime, corruption and extreme intolerance. Be it the government or private, every newspaper and news channel is owned by different political parties and media have already lost their credibility by exaggerating things that are not true and undermining issues that are real. Media can play a positive role by projecting the correct and justified information and by the avoidance of politicizing and commercializing issues by media personnels.
Jameson Motilal
Jnanodoya Salesian College, Salem

 

With the advent of technology, the media has diversified into many forms such as radio, television, newspaper and internet. Together, these play a very important role in framing one’s views and opinions. The timeless adage “With great power, comes great responsibility”, signifies that the media ought to create a constructive role in our society. But in most cases the media creates a hype over crime and corruption. It does play a positive role as well. It promotes awareness using pathos. The spread of ‘Swachh Bharat Abhyaan’, ‘Digital India’, ‘net neutrality’, etc., gained importance through the power of the media. The media should be true and non-judgemental in whatever it does.
Inayat Budhiraja (16)
The Shri Ram School, Gurgaon

 

The media plays a crucial role in a democracy. Instead of creating hype over crime and corruption it should work towards eradicating these evils from our society. Instead of presenting the news in a way that it collects TRP for the channel, the media should try to inform the public at large about the various laws and rights which empower them to stand united against crime and fight against corruption. Awareness and educative programmes initiated by the media will go a long way in bringing revolution in society. I feel that the media in India has the power to change the way people think.
Aaryan Gupta (14)
St Joseph’s College, Allahabad

 

Well, excessive publicity seems to be the best talent of our media and especially when it’s about crime and corruption. Showing the same news thirty times in seven minutes, on five different channels, quite sure will create misunderstandings among people and their conscience. The media is one of the most powerful sources to transform our society into a positive firework, by laying more emphasis on the positive and encouraging things happening in our country and helping to act in a more matured manner.
To make the common people stop blaming the government for everything, first, the media has to stop criticizing their every single mistake for hours on TV and should provide alternatives for solving the problems.
Bhavpreeta Verma (16)
St Angela Sophia Sr. Sec. School, Jaipur

 

The media in today’s era is the largest and the greatest source of information. Every one of us is directly or indirectly depends upon it. It will not be wrong to say that media in some cases make a mountain out of a molehill; they give much more attention to the issue which have least benefit to the viewers. In society like ours where there are still people having orthodox and conservative mentality, the media can help change the environment.
The media can have a positive as well as a negative impact on the society, it depends on us how we adapt things in our life. For developing nations like ours we really need a large source like the media for further growth and development.
Harshita Mathur (17)
St Angela Sophia Sr. Sec. School

 

As everyone knows that the media is a very powerful weapon. But the only problem is that it creates hype over crime and corruption. But the media can also be used for the development of our country. It can create awareness among the people about what is happening in their surroundings and this knowledge will make people more alert. As we know corruption is one of the most prominent topics of media’s daily reports. It sometimes also teaches us good lessons about being aware, being safe, being active, following safety rules. So, the media is as important as a gun (news) which can destroy anything or as a cup of tea (newspaper) which is one of the most important things to start our day with.
Manasvi Vyas
Jodhpur, Rajasthan