Capturing the public space

There is a pattern to this: Page 3 events are discussed with great seriousness, but I have seen many a report on book-launches that include snide remarks about the “chatterati” and deride the fact that many of those the reporter spoke to hadn’t read the book. Never mind that most haven’t got hold of it as as yet! Again, when Noam Chomsky visited Delhi University in 2001 soon after the US attack on Afghanistan began, the atmosphere was electric — over a thousand students and others from all over Delhi listening in a breathless hush. But your reporter conveyed that the whole thing was a lacklustre affair, and took care to note that two students were yawning.

Several people who had attended that event, later compared notes, and found that at least 10 letters had been sent to your paper, contesting that particular representation. Not one was published. Yet again, there seemed to be a consensus in the media to trash the World Social Forum with no pretense of objectivity. Every possible charge has been laid at its door, ranging from “rolling in foreign funds” to sarcastic tips on how to join the “elite anti-globalisation chic brigade.” At best it was reported as a lifestyle event, P3-style. When it comes to corporate globalisation, which the entire media stands firmly behind, then the newsworthiness of events is apparently decided by your values, not the actual magnitude of the event itself. Having discredited political parties (albeit with justification!), the media has arrogated to itself the only permissible non-party voice of dissent.

At the same time, the media never stops patting itself on the back for its own fearless exposure of this, that and the other. The net result is an overwhelming dumbing-down of public debate over ideas — everything presented like a “Big Fight” (not unsimilar to the WWF format). Highly orchestrated and stage-managed “events” of noise, tiny sound-bites, and everyone “for” or “against”. The media will not suffer from opening up to complex analyses, recognition of emerging new forms of non-party protest, and responding to critique from its consumers. But, more importantly, it is imperative for a democratic polity that it does so.