To understand the role which the media should be playing in India we have to first understand the historical context. India is presently passing through a transitional period in its history: a transition from a feudal agricultural society to a modern industrial society. This is a very painful and agonising period. The old feudal society is being uprooted and torn apart; but the new, modern, industrial society has not yet been...
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A wake-up call
-The Business Standard Latest HDR a poor report card for India The good news from the Human Development Report, or HDR, for 2011 is that India’s rank – 134 out of 187 – has remained unchanged. If we look at countries relevant to India – fellow BRICS members (Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa) and India’s neighbours (Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) – four have held their positions and three countries have...
More »Lokpal Movement: Unanswered Questions by Gautam Navlakha
Why is it that the Anna Hazare-led movement against corruption does not seek to have the Lokpal cover NGOs, corporate houses and the corporate media? Gautam Navlakha (gnavlakha@gmail.com) is a member of the People’s Union for Democratic Rights, Delhi. It would be churlish to dismiss “Team Anna’s” mass mobilisation which is an assertion of our collective right to protest. This is especially so in view of the fact that after having waited...
More »Docile populace might makes for low-grade welfare
-The Economic Times Maruti's decision to locate expanded production in Gujarat, following strikes at its plants in Haryana, is being widely interpreted as an instance of virtuous policy being rewarded and worker militancy as well as official failure to check it being penalised. Gujarat's industrial peace is the virtue, and its reward is flow of investment to the 'peaceful' state. However, the posited linear relationship between workforce docility and popular welfare...
More »Bring electronic media under Press Council: Katju
-The Hindu Writes to Manmohan Singh seeking more teeth to council Press Council Chairman Markandey Katju has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh suggesting that the electronic media be brought under its purview. He has also sought “more teeth” to the council. “I have written to the PM that the electronic media should be brought under the Press Council and it should be called Media Council and we should be given more teeth....
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