Media: disturbing shifts – its priorities are going haywire

President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Justice A.S. Anand made very pertinent observations recently at the IPI-India Award function for Excellence in Journalism. President Kalam said, “the urban-oriented Indian media” should become “media for one billion people” instead of concentrating on the 300 million urban people. Former Chief Justice of India Dr Anand said that “while commercialism has a legitimate place in the business office of the newspaper, it becomes a danger when it invades the editorial room”. Stating that “today, there are some genuine concerns about the way in which some sections of the media function,” he said that “the liberty of the Press cannot be confused with its licentiousness”. They were commenting on recent dramatic changes in the media concerns. What is happening in the media is known to many of us. But why it is happening is not and hardly discussed.