Media, Reader’s Choice and Sensationalism
Let it be a news story or otherwise, writers write to put in the picture of various stories. Such stories can entertain, inform, upset or enliven the audience. But, the writings that we come across in the media nowadays are often formulaic. Whether it’s the consistent presence of sex scenes or the tendency to choose hot, trending topics as themes, there always arises a question if the media are promoting what readers want or the readers are selecting only such media which promote sensationalism.
My intention is not that writers should not cater to the interest of the masses. There is nothing wrong with writing “entertaining” content. For that matter famous writers like Jeffrey Archer and Agatha Christie is entertaining too. Nevertheless, the writings should contain some morale.
Alex Haley’s famous book “Roots” is a lengthy book which never makes the reader feel any sort of boredom. Yes, news in the form of entertainment is the need of the hour to grab the attention of the masses. But, is it necessary that the media opt for the page 3 reporting on every page? Gone are the day’s people used to go to the movies along with kids. But, there is hardly any scope for such a practice nowadays.
Who is responsible for such an untoward change in the media writings? Is it the audience or the writers? Indubitably it is both the writers and the audience, who should be equally held responsible! Media conglomerates of course, have an attention for making profits and look for the pulse of the audience. Is it not the responsibility of the audience to encourage the media that promotes good ethical values? A change in attitude is the need of the hour. Until and unless a writer gives freedom to his heart, what he writes will be purely for the organisation and not from his heart.
In this era of Satmass Media (a recently coined word used to indicate the mass media that works in conjunction with Satellite Communication viz. Satellite Radio, Satellite Television, the Internet, etc.), the media access has become very easily accessible to the masses of all geographic areas – urban, semi-urban and rural. Also, due to the advent of many satellite television channels, there has been undisclosed competition among the media houses. It is between the audience and media houses, as well as between any given two media houses, thus paving a way for untoward means of practice like choosing unsolicited content for various programs!!