The Changing Course of The Media Over Time

 

The Evolution of Media  

The history of the media is extensive and tumultuous, beginning in the socialist era, as well as the post-liberalization period and the ensuing boom in the number of media outlets.

The finest illustration of this is how media, particularly social media, were utilized during the Arab Spring uprisings in early 2011 when young people in the Arab world exploited the media's influence to oust autocratic leaders. 

The alternatives available to the populace in such nations are quite constrained given that such rulers frequently use the media to advance their ideologies and maintain their hold on power. Therefore, the protest movements prefer any medium that advances their cause and their goals.

 

Media - Then and Now

Although the media in India traditionally focused on investigative reporting and documenting events as they happened in the decades after independence, in recent years they have evolved into the platforms that either launch or derail the careers of politicians, businesses, and celebrities.

Furthermore, the media has a significant impact on our society. There is no denying that social media and digital technologies have already had a big influence on culture. End of the 19th-century pictures of people engrossed in reading was popular among artists as a way to capture their subjects. The images of individuals engrossed in what they are reading on their smartphones while standing in the center of a throng serve as the greatest representation of the 21st-century topic today.

 

The New Media Era

Many individuals merely watch the news on television and form opinions on the current events in this sound-bite culture. As a result, people no longer read newspapers or pore over books that provide more in-depth explanations of the topics in addition to in-depth analyses. On the other hand, we are all seeking a brief news summary that includes a synopsis of the most recent and significant stories.

Social leaders and activists need to tread cautiously in both their use of the media and how the media portrays them. The finest example of this is how, after the initial enthusiasm, the anti-corruption campaign in India lost media support. While the anti-corruption campaign in India was mostly fuelled by media fervor and uninterrupted media coverage, which guaranteed audiences would show up in huge numbers to support the crusaders, it lost its momentum. This was due to the way the 24/7 news cycle and breaking news rhythms are set up, which causes the media to move from topic to topic.

 

As a result, the Indian media has gone a long way and is in a scenario where it goes beyond reporting the news and bears responsibility for defining agendas and guiding governmental actions. The Indian media has generally been independent and neutral in its reporting of news, but, over the past 20 years, various media sources appear more politicized and divisive, than ever before. No wonder now, India falls by 8 positions and now ranks 150th on the World Press Freedom Index.

Many analysts believe that the shift from print media to digital media (TV, Internet, and Social Media) has increased the power of mass media since it allows them access to billions of people and removes any geographic restrictions they may have had with newspapers. As a result, they now possess greater authority over society. This increases the possibility of being manipulated and makes advancing agendas simpler.

The use of social media as a tactic by the Taliban government is the most recent example we have. To calm Afghanistan's anxious but growing tech-savvy urban populace, constant attempts have been undertaken. Social media has been effectively used by them to stifle resistance and spread their views.

Social media has a considerably wider audience than previously believed because over 70 percent of people use smartphones, in Afghanistan. They managed hundreds of official and anonymous Twitter accounts, particularly in urban regions where users tweet anything they want. 

They inundated social media with their propaganda and painted outsiders, including Americans, as the main reason for the violence going on for years.

Speaking of online media, the proliferation of online media outlets that coincided with the Internet Revolution indicates that the Indian media houses discovered an additional method or channel to communicate with the public.

 

Conclusion

Within a second, you can learn about an event that is occurring 1,000 feet below sea level or 1,000 miles distant. The first thing you do as soon as you wake up in the morning, you pick up a newspaper, phone, or television, you expose yourself to gigantic waves of information. 

We now have access to real-time information on every event taking place worldwide thanks to the media. Making individuals aware of their environment is crucial for them to be aware, obtain knowledge, form opinions, and even express their ideas. Today, it is impossible to fathom life without the media.

However, recent trends suggest that the media is abdicating its social obligation instead of becoming a captive of special interests and entrenched agendas, which is concerning given the significant role that the media plays in society. Paid news, manipulated information, negotiating with corporations to depict them favorably, and open requests for payments to prevent the airing of content are all signs of the deterioration that has occurred in the modern day.

Additionally, because they are the guardians of democracy, the mass media themselves have developed a tendency toward corruption, which must be resisted. The Indian media is at a turning point where the decisions it makes now will influence the sector's future trajectories.

Written by - Aastha Monga

Edited by - Kritika Sharma