Media Trial: More a vice than a virtue

Photo Credit - Chicago Tribune

Trial by Media', this term has been thrown around a lot in recent days. Since its introduction, media has been responsible for bringing forth issues pertaining to the public eye for better or for the worse. While some issues are deemed necessary, others are just bloated up to increase viewership of their respective channels.

The media shenanigans involving the suicide of Sushant Singh Rajput panned out into a long overstretched drama for the entertainment of the public in the name of justice. What started with the investigation into the death of an actor turned into a Bollywood drug bust.

While the media trial of drugs in the Bollywood industry is not inherently a bad thing, it is the frightening pace with which media changes topics and finds a new scapegoat to sacrifice just for the sake of viewership which is appalling.

The media's utter disregard for mental health showed just how flawed the fourth pillar of democracy could be. Of course, it's no help when people sit at home and cook up their theories, thereby giving fuel to the media fire.

News coverage is now more of a rat race rather than a quest for truth. That is how the television media channels function. It is a race for whoever gets the best bites and the best footage.

One victim of this media witch-hunt is Rhea Chakraborty. There is not a single line that the media has not crossed while trying to villainize her. While she alone wasn't responsible for the mess that was created, she alone is facing the consequences. The media has conveniently ignored others with an apparently higher standing just because they don't suit their narrative.

The events that unfurled after Sushant Singh Rajput's death bear a similar resemblance to the media trial that was conducted after Sridevi's death. There were so many theories that were created just because the people were unwilling to believe that she had died an accidental death. And the media flew in like vultures to devour on the disbelief of the people.

Another thing worth noting can be the ferocity with which some media houses chose to ignore other vital issues plaguing the country in the face of news that sells.

Trial by media can be a virtue only if it is undertaken as a quest for truth rather than a witch-hunt. If it is the latter, then it turns into a vice as it tends to destroy people's life. There have been quite some examples like the Jessica Lal case and the Priyadarshini Mattoo case wherein the media played an important role in not allowing the criminals to go unpunished.

On the other hand, cases like the Aarushi Talwar murder case come across as harrowing encounters of media trial wherein the verdict was out even before the trial had begun. The lack of apathy by media was severely criticised and rightfully so.

Just like a coin, trial by media has two sides. But the negative side has the potential to do more damage than its counterpart.

(DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed over here are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of the company.)