Mumbai terror brought out the best in media

THE UNPRECEDENTED terror attacks of 26/11 have pointed fingers at the government as well as the media. Mumbai, a city of verve and vivacity, was brought down on its knees on this fateful day. There have been several debates questioning the integrity, professionalism and ethics of the media. Rather than praising the media for its relentless reporting, it was criticised for intruding into official matters, be it the police or the NSG. It was the media itself who provided a larger sense of the happenings inside the Taj Mahal Hotel to a city seething with rage and grief. More than 70 hours of live reporting is definitely not a cake walk. Bloodshed all over, people crying and withering with pain is not an easy sight to see. It requires a lot of courage to record such disturbing footage and control your emotions. Talking on air and suppressing your sentiments is tough. At the time of war, people simply want to know if they are safe. If media gives them this information, it is condemned for doing so. Why is the media hated in such a manner?

Competition might be a reason for media hatred. Gone are the days when, news was available just once in a day. Boom of television news channels has further boomed up competition. Every channel wants to be the first one in the rat race. Media shows what the viewer wants. The media abided by its ethics and acted responsibly in not broadcasting disturbing videos.

Mediapersons were present right at the spot of live firing, doing their job of keeping its audience informed. A single bullet was enough to kill the journalists on duty. After all why should they put their lives at stake? The answer is very simple. They put their lives at stake because they are out on the call of duty. This duty includes informing citizens to stay indoors and making its viewers aware of the situation in their own city.

The area was cordoned off for a couple of hours and never did they dare to take any discrepant step. 26/11 has been a lesson for all, and the media has done a commendable job of reporting and keeping the viewer updated with all the crucial happenings. Criticism develops a change in us and gives us an opportunity to reinvent, but when one is criticised after a virtuous act, it is really saddening. The viewer sitting peacefully at his home has no right to malign the mediapersons. Stepping into the shoes of journalists will make the viewer realise the hurdles faced by people on duty.