Does media offer the true picture?

Karim Lotfy, a bank officer in Abu Dhabi, says: “There is so much happening around and if there was no media, making so many decisions, especially pertaining to financial investments and stocks, would have been difficult. Media is the greatest source of information during an epidemic in any part of the world, a natural calamity like the recent cyclone in Bangladesh or a political crisis like that in Pakistan.

“We heavily rely on the television and the Internet for immediate updates on the latest, and the newspaper is the recorded history of the present. Even an average person is aware of the recent happenings and events but he doesn’t know what the happening is all about,” Karim says.

Anisha, a student, says: “Everyone in India is talking about the 123 agreement (part of nuclear deal with the US) and why it must or must not be signed. Well, I too have my take on it, but I don’t know what the 123 agreement actually is. Nobody seems to be talking about what are in it.”

Ryan Elner Melliza, a local resident, says: “We live in an information age. News, entertainment, political and other views and tips about various aspects of life are all offered to us on a platter by the media.”

“We are forced to believe whatever is told to us by the media. Actually there is too much faith in the media and sometimes I feel the media is exploiting us. The media keeps throwing soundbites, images and ideas constantly at the public. And many of us are striving to match the stereotypes created by the media.”

Karim Lotfy too believes the media is constantly building stereotypes. “They (media) show us something and it is immediately being a part of our lives,” says Karim.

Satyadayanand, a banker, also believes stereotypes are being created by the media but, he says, “they don’t influence our imagination”.

“The media was once held in esteem for giving a voice to the masses but today the media has reached a degree of influence where the voice of the masses is stifled. The media shows what they want. I am sure we are not getting enough of the true picture of what’s happening. It’s all biased,” declares Anisha.

Talk shows, discussion fora and news channels convincingly take a stand on issues and showcase images to support their views and the public has no choice but to take it, she says.

“It is true that some television channels are biased and show material to support their interests. But I hear what I want to hear and I read what interests me,” says Karim.

Asked how does he ascertain the genuineness of the information given by the media, he says it all depends on the source. Ryan says the media gives two sides of every issue. It is for a person to look at the positive side. Its about optimism, Ryan adds.

However, Anisha is convinced that the media is creating an ideology. “The media is relying on the interpretative frameworks consonant with the interests of the dominant classes,” she says. Media is autonomous and subtle but dangerous too,” says Satyadayanand.