The media is duty bound to broadcast, telecast and print whatever they see. They are also duty bound to show and tell the truth. Along with the duties, every media has a social responsibility too.
An audio clip is roaming in the WhatsApp group which is not only interesting but also thought provoking in this present juncture of pandemic. The story goes like – a saint was residing in the outskirt of a city. One day he saw a shadow like image is entering into the city. As he had yogic power, he could know that shadow is yamadut, so he called him and asked what for you are here? The yamadut told the saint – you have very well recognized me. I am in a specific mission to take the atmas of one thousand denizens whose life’s missions have been accomplished. As it was the rule of the provident the saint did not tell anything more and the shadow entered into the city.
On his return, the saint again met the shadow. Seeing so many atmas with the yamadut, the saint told him, he had a perception that only the inhabitant of the earth tell lies but now I see that has also pervaded the land of God. You had told me that you are going for one thousand lives, but you have returned with so many lives which are definitely much more than what you had told.
Mahatman ! Truth prevails in the land of God and will prevail forever. What you see is half truth. I had come for a thousand lives are true and returning with thirty thousand lives. The one thousand for which I had come had completed their worldly assignment here but the rest twenty nine thousands have left for heavenly abode untimely because of the fear of pandemic . You tell me, whether I have to take them with me or not?
The reason of citing the social media story here is relevant because the numbers of people dying because of Corona related fear are much more than the Corona infection deaths. If we make a very finer and thread bare analysis of the situation, we will see that the atmosphere of fear which has been created by the media which include visual media, print media, audio media and also the social media have played a vital role of creating panic and fear. The news of the funeral pyre, the treatment given to the dead bodies, sufferings of the affected people for availing medical facilities and dearth of oxygen are so vividly and fearfully propagated that these are creating an atmosphere of panic among the people. Besides the restrictions imposed on the near and dear ones of the deceased not to touch, see and visit him are creating such a panic feeling for the affected that they are losing the battle of Corona without fighting. For that now the psychologists and counselors are advising the affected persons to avoid TV, Radio, News papers and social media at the time of home isolation or treatment. If at all they want to see to spend their time, they should see entertainment channels and spend time talking to their near and dear ones over phone.
The media may argue that as the fourth pillars of our democracy, they are duty bound to broadcast, telecast and print whatever they see. They are duty bound to show and tell the truth. Along with the duties, every media has a social responsibility too. To boost the moral power of the affected, the media can select certain successful stories of the persons those have defeated Corona by their will power and valiant efforts. Recently only one Black fungus case surfaced in Odisha, but that news aired so vociferously adding owes to the worries and people became more panicked. News spread that news paper can be the career of Corona, as a result many people stopped the hawkers to deliver the news papers. Similarly many people have stopped viewing news channels in the TV out of fear of repeated Corona news. As duty bound and responsible, now it is the turn of the media to cover the news like a balm to boost the moral and mental strength of both affected and unaffected people or else people will prefer to remain in a world of no news.
