THE GIST of Editorial for UPSC Exams : 04 MARCH 2019 (The difference between journalism and propaganda (The Hindu)

The difference between journalism and propaganda (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2: Internal Security
Prelims level: Not Much
Mains level: Role of media in security

Context

•  Since the terrorist attack in Pulwama that killed 40 CRPF personnel and the subsequent military response, there have been two distinct narratives in the media.
•  On the one hand is an uncritical group of people who constantly whip up patriotism and construct nationalism in a narrow sense.
•  They are keen to reduce journalism to propaganda.
•  On the other is a set of professionals who continue to retain their commitment to the core values of journalism and opt to report events instead of becoming a tool of war.

Reporting war and conflict

•  Here journalism is a public good and refuses to become an instrument of deceit.
•  The headline of Feb. 28, “IAF plane shot down, pilot taken captive by Pak. army”, was both appreciated and vilified by readers.
•  The people who felt that the headline was not patriotic enough drew their inspiration from many broadcast journalists.
•  There is a huge corpus of literature on war and conflict journalism.

Fact and fiction

•  Soon after India’s air strikes in Balakot, Pakistan, many TV channels citing anonymous sources claimed that the attack across the LoC killed 300 terrorists.
•  However, when the official version was put out, the government spokesperson refused to speculate on the number.
•  Meanwhile, international mediapersons, who have access to Balakot, visited the site.
•  Their findings made a mockery of many of the tall claims that were being made from India’s TV studios.
•  In this newspaper, a sober and responsible analysis was made much before Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman’s capture.
•  For instance, in his comment piece, “India’s options after Pulwama” (Feb. 19), Happymon Jacob examined the option of using strike aircraft to carry out precision strikes in locations across the LoC.
•  He presciently warned: “But such air incursions are likely to be detected and intercepted by Pakistani radars and air defence systems.
•  If an aircraft is shot down or pilots are captured, it could become a bigger headache for the government. Pakistani retaliatory strikes cannot be ruled out either.”

Conclusion

•  The very act of verification that differentiates this profession from all other forms of communication tells us not be an Abhimanyu, one who knew the entry strategy but not the exit one.
•  Indian journalists have made some of the most incisive arguments against the pernicious idea of embedded journalism (the practice of placing journalists under the control of one side’s military during an armed conflict).
•  The difference between journalism and propaganda lies in the language that is used in reports.
•  Ethical journalism will report the killing of a solider as the killing of a soldier and refrain from using loaded propagandist words like martyr.

Online Coaching for UPSC PRE Exam

General Studies Pre. Cum Mains Study Materials

Prelims Questions:

Q.1) Consider the following statements:
1. Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) are not allowed to take deposits from the public.
2. NBFCs can offer banking services such as loans and credit facilities, retirement planning, money markets, underwriting and merger activities.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: C

Mains Questions:
Q.1) Journalists should report events rather than become cheerleaders for hate politics and intolerance. Critically analyse the statement.