Among the subtle changes associated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government are those dealing with the media and nowhere has it affected a news-hungry media's working more than in the way news sources from the government have completely dried up and resulted in shrinking of the culture of intermittent Breaking News on television. No wonder it has rattled up the likes of Arnabs and Barkhas, who thrive on the round-the-clock breaking news cycle.
Earlier, during the UPA government, Breaking News used to be the daily staple of news television that used to thrive in 'breaking' news from and about the government all through the day, some accurate, some not so accurate - and mostly sensational.
But that is history. With ministers and top officials being evidently instructed by the all-powerful Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to clamp up and not engage or entertain the media unnecessarily, it has resulted in a virtual news drought for 24x7 media, particularly television and social media that in a sense used to thrive on it and derive their revenue-generating eyeballs.
There have been innumberable instances during the previous UPA government - especially in its dying years - when information had "leaked" from official meetings like those of the cabinet - chaired by none other than the prime minister - and made it straight to the "Breaking News" on TV channels.
Even differences among ministers during cabinet meetings chaired by then prime minister Manmohan Singh had many a times become "breaking news" within hours.
But this is not happening anymore, at least for now.
With Modi focusing on building an "accountable" system that will curb the culture of sensational journalism, orders have been given to give the media only one version - the official one, sources in the know told IANS.
Even though it is too early to comment on a little over a one-month old BJP government's working style, the reluctance amongst its ministers to talk to the media is seen by many members of the fourth estate as a "media gag".
But officials dismiss this notion, although no one is willing to come on record.
"What has changed in this new government is that everyone, including the secretaries, are accountable to their seniors. So unlike previous government where many secretaries would leak out information to the news channels, this government believes more in officially communicating with the media," one source told IANS.
0 comments:
Post a Comment