𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲• 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐦 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐣𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐡 •

𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲

• 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐦 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐣𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐡 • 

What is media? In general, 'media' refers to various means of communications, e.g. television, radio, and newspapers. Society is defined as a group of people living as a community of organized groups for a common purpose. The word ‘media’ is derived from the word 'medium', signifying mode or carrier. Media is intended to reach a large target group or audience. The basic purpose is of dissemination of information and knowledge. The word was first used in respect of books and newspapers; but with the advent of technology, media encompasses television, movies, radio, social media and internet. In today’s world, media has becomes as essential as our daily needs. 

Media of today is playing an outstanding role in creating and shaping of public opinion in strengthening the society. Media is the sword arm of democracy. Media acts as a watchdog to protect public interest against malpractices and creates public awareness. Today when politicians are taking advantage of their positions or an evil nexus of mafia and crime syndicate is making the life of common man miserable, taxpayer’s money is siphoned out for the personal gain of the influential and ordinary people are mere spectators; media has a grater responsibility. As the fourth pillar of democracy along with judiciary, executive and legislature, media of today has an all embracing role to act against the injustice, oppression, exploitation and partiality in society. 

From the days of Vedas and Upanishads to edicts of kings and emperors like Chandragupta, Ashoka to the medieval Indian mass gatherings to the modern day’s audio-video and print media, has always taken a pivotal role in creating public opinion. During freedom struggle newspapers like Tilak’s 'Maratha', Mahatma’s 'Young India', 'Kesari' acted as platforms to place the demands of common Indian and to express unanimity with freedom fighters. Indian media in post independence era has grown phenomenally and comprises of more than 50,000 newspapers, hundreds of television and radio channels. In this era of liberalistion, privatisation and globalisation, the world has reached into our drawing rooms! Since the introduction of television in late 70’s, visual media became a potential tool in informing the current news to the society, entertaining and shaping up of public opinion. 

The World Wide Web and web 2.0 technologies have given rise to electronic media where even a common man can express views through blogs, website posts, Facebook and Twitter, thereby being called 'Citizen Journalist'. Media helps in fighting corruption, nepotism, cronyism of institutional machinery and carrying out relentless campaign against them. Websites and applications dedicated to forums, microblogging, social networking, curation, and Wikis are among the different types of social media. Wikipedia is a free, open content online encyclopedia created through the collaborative effort of a community of users known as Wikipedians. Wikipedia was founded in January of 2001. LinkedIn; is a social networking site designed specifically for the professionals. Reddit: is a social news website where stories are socially curated and promoted by site members. Pinterest; is a social curation website for sharing and categorizing images online.The media can manipulate, influence, persuade and pressurise society, in both positive and negative ways; mentally, physically and emotionally. 

Controversial stories are reported and printed without any reliance of it being factual. Additionally, as newspapers and magazines have e-portals, websites, articles can be posted and received quicker than printed articles and are updated regularly. Links to these articles can be posted to social media platforms – like Facebook and Twitter – as well as being e-mailed and messaged directly between friends and family. ‘Breaking News’ scenarios are nerve wrecking. According to Global Web Index, 54% of daily media time is online. Also, on a typical day, 12% of people watch online TV, 10% listen to online radio, 12% read online press, 28% use social networking sites, 13% are micro-blogging, 9% read or write blogs, and 17% do other things. This means there is constant access to news and the goings on in the world, with the aid of links from social media sites. In retrospect it may be summarised that 'jingoistic media' needs to be checked. Information to masses, editorial guidelines to decision makers, personality projection, all are done to create interactive dialogues with society in a representative democracy. 

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐦 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐣𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐡 

(𝐋𝐋.𝐁. 𝐌.𝐀. 𝐌.𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥. 𝐒𝐭.𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐧'𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞, 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐡𝐢 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐓𝐕 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧; 𝐅𝐓𝐈𝐈, 𝐏𝐮𝐧𝐞)

𝐒𝐫. 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭, 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫, 𝐃𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐭 

𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥@𝐠𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥.𝐜𝐨𝐦