There is a ring of sensationalism in today’s media reports. Often, the desire to be the first with the news leads to the telecast/printing of stories that are half-true or half-investigated.
There is also an effort to trip news sources and to trap them by using miniature recording devices. This did not happen in the past. A reporter always alerted the subject that the interview is being recorded.
Recently, a film star in India was pursued by a television reporter to give an interview. When the film star gave an interview the reporter made suggestive statements. The actor’s statements were caught on camera and telecast.
Is this journalism? Will new technology change the face of journalism? Will the media give up basic ethics in the name of public interest? These are questions that worry me. They need a debate, an awareness before things slip out of hand.
