To gag the media is to dismantle democratic frame. In that count we see not many who regard true democracy. The United States, the country that has been ‘ingenuously’ making claim as the champion of democracy and India, the world’s largest democracy, are still struggling to earn the tags. They are never solicitous about human rights and free media working, a great departure from the going of ideological concord. Gagging the media may not necessarily to mean direct employment of coercion in blocking news production by authorities. The sly approach of asking to reveal the news sources by the government agencies or questioning the media houses for publishing certain materials often give room for uncomfortable poser of the media professionals.
Elucidating the point, cases of summoning journalists by government agencies on news reports have dismantled the free working spirit. Forget scoops and investigations even acting as a mere messenger has become uncomfortable for media professionals even in highly developed stations. This is nothing but akin to abusing postmen for delivering you sad news or assaulting doctors for you have been diagnosed with cancer.
In the words of Alan Rusbridger, the former Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian, journalists are facing difficult situation because the “intelligence apparatus has become so complex that at times even public leaders do not understand its intricacies.”
Alan Rusbridger was frustrated at the British political class’ reaction to his newspaper’s reports on intelligence leaks provided by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.
According to the veteran journalist, showing an array of issues that the Snowden leaks brought to the fore — from freedom of the press to the privacy of individuals.
“But, instead of a serious discussion on the issues raised by the leaks, it was The Guardian that became a target. The reactions focussed on our role in publishing them,” he said. “The newspaper’s decision was guided by the principle of public interest, a basis of decision-making to be held above everything else,” Mr. Rusbridger added.
It is no better here in Nagaland. Piles of summon letters or lawsuits against the media houses are hampering the free working atmosphere.
