Justice BV Nagarathna also flagged the dangers of fake news, yellow journalism and fear mongering by media.
According to Justice BV Nagarathna of the Supreme Court, self-regulation by electronic media has shown to be ineffective and requires a regulatory authority.
According to her, the purpose of such a body should be to investigate media complaints rather than to stifle the press.
The top court judge stated that while the Press Council of India regulates newspapers, self-regulation for news channels is not a sufficient solution because it only binds those who voluntarily participate in such regulation.
It should be legal to file complaints against these media companies, and the regulatory body in question shouldn’t use its position to try to censor the press as a whole, she continued.
As the chief guest at the Business Standard Seema Nazareth Awards, she addressed the audience on the subject of “A free and balanced press: sentinel of democracy.”
She gave two explanations for why self-regulation has failed in her speech.
“First, because only broadcasters who are willing to join the Association or submit to its authority are bound by self-regulation. Self-regulatory organizations are now facing difficulties with enforceability. The second issue is brought on by the fact that new technology has made it possible for anyone to create and distribute content that millions of people can access, according to Justice Nagarathna.
Therefore, she emphasized, there needs to be some sort of regulation that applies to this kind of modern “journalism” as well.
She also made the important point that the press should not become solely focused on defending the government; rather, it should be directed toward constructive criticism.
“While it’s crucial to foster a democratic environment in which the press is able to discuss and even criticize government policy or action, “attacking” the government and continuously playing the devil’s advocate for its own sake must not become the sole goal of a free press, the author writes. A free press must be a constructive critic rather than an ally or an enemy, according to Justice Nagarathna.
Justice Nagarathna also pointed out the perils of false information, dishonest reporting, and media scare tactics.
Another practice that should be avoided is using rumors and fear mongering to draw readers into the content. To eliminate any element of bias or prejudice in the process of reporting events, journalists and other stakeholders must work together. Fake news has the potential to mislead millions of people at once, which is directly at odds with the democratic principles that are the cornerstone of our existence. Perspectives are distorted and sense of proportion is occasionally lost amid this onslaught of information presented as news by numerous 24-hour channels that are broadcast through a TV to our homes every day, the speaker said.
She also emphasized the significance of journalists providing context when quoting sources in this context.
Journalists are required to provide the full context when quoting people from the public. In order for media to enjoy the public’s trust and uphold the principle of free speech, it must rebuff all pressure to combine journalism and politics.
Justice Nagarathna went on to say that although journalists and the press must simplify complex information, accuracy must always be maintained.
“When the press is prevented from carrying out this task in a completely objective manner, the vibrancy, heterogeneity, and plurality of any democracy are compromised… If a nation is to continue to be a democracy in the truest sense, the press must be free, she opined.
Written By- Tushar Vashisth students of 3rd year BBA LLB at Chandigarh University
