Ethical Media Reporting: A Myth Vis-À-Vis Role of Law to Safeguard Ethics

Abstract

Press and Media houses have grown to be the most important pillar in any democratic nation. Just like any other basic right, the right to know and the right to access true information has become vital for human existence in the current societal setup. The understanding of media today has not been confined to the traditional concept of print media and now in the digital era where every piece of information is available over a click, the accessibility and the outreach of the information have gone to another level. Enormous trust is laid on the Media houses to report benevolently and ethically as they have all the power to enable the people to make good or bad decisions. The media reporting can instigate violence and at the same time, it can bring harmony. The current trend in Media reporting has become a matter of concern. Quoting a few instances like the Zee News reporting on June 15^th, 2022, where the media house aired a debate show titled “Kudart Bahana Hai, Muslim Abadi Badhana Hai” directly creating a perception that one community as a whole is responsible for the rapid growth of Indian population. News Broadcasting and digital standards authority was forced to act in the matter.[1] Similarly, in the recent incident of Nupur Sharma, the media reporting was questioned on ethical grounds. There have been numerous such incidents where Media Ethics have been questioned and the media houses are warned to ensure ethical reporting.

Media Ethics cannot be listed down exclusively, it includes the basic respect for the rights of other beings. The Society of Professional Journalists has laid down some basic ethical principles under its code of ethics which the media houses must comply with. But unfortunately, as the press or media is mostly self-regulated, there is no deterrence. There are various laws that cater to the need but they have proven to be insufficient in the digital era. In this chapter, the research objective is to study the root cause of the prevailing unethical media practices like paid news, how it risks the entire democratic structure, what is the existing legal regime and how law can be a protective shield in the context of Media Ethics.