The very first “International Media Ethics Day” is today!

Today is being celebrated as “The International Media Ethics Day”,for the very first time. The Center for International Media Ethics – CIME iscelebrating the day in 12 countries by holding workshops and conferences. It isalso offering several online ways to participate in the event. According toCIME; the aim of the Media Ethics Day is to mobilize the journalism communityand provide journalists around the world with an opportunity to discuss mediaethics issues, examine case studies, and participate in role-plays and debatesrelated to the various ethical dilemmas they might face on the job.

India is not among these countries; though it has the most unethicaljournalists and media houses and needs to be educated. I have checked uptoday’s news and find that the Indian print and electronic media is leastinterested in this important event pertaining to their business. While rest ofthe world is agog with large scale participation, coverage and blogging onMedia Ethics, most of our print and electronic media is as usual busy withbiased, distorted and specific-agenda news and programs.

In the last few years the media industry has expanded all over thecountry and perhaps more so in Andhra Pradesh. Except for a minority ofNewspapers and TV Channels, most of these media houses serve the interests ofsome political person or party, glorifying them constantly and criticizingeveryone else. Gossip, vulgarity, crime and sensationalism of cheap stories areheadlines. And important, useful, current and correct news takes the backstageor is missing. For instance the ongoing 12-day old General Strike – ‘Sakala Janula Samme’ and the overall political situation in Telangana is covered differentlyby different media agencies to suit their interests and unfortunately createconfusion and controversies. Most of these media houses perhaps have no codesof ethics, standards or principles like truthfulness, accuracy, accountability,objectivity, fairness, and impartiality. In such a misleading situation createdby the media it is not possible for us to get correct information on mostsubjects. We may read or hear more than two sources of news; pertaining to aparticular subject and still remain confused or come to our own conclusions!