ROLE OF MEDIA AND

POLITICS

PSDA

Submitted by
NAME OF THE STUDENT- VASUNDHRA
Roll No./Enrolment No. --- 25917703820
Semester - Second
Section- 2E

Vivekananda School of Law and Legal Studies

VIVEKANANDA INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
Pitampura, Delhi-110034
July 2021
 Politics and its Influence on The Society

POLITICS, in a simple words can be defined as GOVERNANCE of a country or area. It

includes regulating all aspects of human life like economical, political, social, religious etc.
Governance can be defined as: “The system by which entities are directed and controlled.  It
is concerned with structure and processes for decision making, accountability, control and
behaviour at the top of an entity. Governance influences how an organisation’s objectives are
set and achieved, how risk is monitored and addressed and how performance is optimised”.
Governance is a system and process, not a single activity. Good Governance is an approach
to government that is committed to creating a system founded in justice and peace that
protects individual’s human rights and civil liberties. According to the United Nations, Good
Governance is measured by the eight factors of Participation, Rule of Law, Transparency,
Responsiveness, Consensus Oriented, Equity and Inclusiveness, Effectiveness and
Efficiency, and Accountability.
In a democratic country, Governance is looked after by the government elected by the People
themselves. All the laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, made by the government have an
influence over the society in different ways. Governments make decisions that affect our
everyday life. We all know this, of course. Society changes according to politics. When one
lives life aware of the importance of politics, aware that every decision has an impact on an
entire population, aware that your individual behaviour is not the result of just you and those
immediately around you, but it is also a result of governance. Most of the times, it goes
unnoticed that many of our day-to-day life decisions are affected or influenced by public
policies made by the governments. In simple terms, we as a citizens of a democratic
country choose our representatives and they formulates laws for public welfare. So, it is
both our right and duty to be aware about the administrative, bureaucratic and legal
processes by which our elected governments legislate laws.
 MEDIA and its Impact on our SOCIETY

As the technology is getting more advanced, media’s influence is growing exponentially.

From the past several decades, television, radio, internet, and newspapers have become a
reliable tool in our modern day life. With the information reaching masses in a blink of an
eye, a life without media is near impossible. Society and Media have always been
inseparable. Society is influenced by media in so many ways. It is the media for the masses
that helps them to get information about a lot of things and also form opinions and make a
judgment regarding various issues. It is the media, which keep people updated and informed
about what is happening around them and the world that everyone draws something from it.
Media has a high influence on the way people think and behave in a society. From
creating awareness among masses to serving as a source of inspiration, media act as a
platform to present our ideas to the world. It connects people from around the globe and
owing to its reach, a better world of communication opens up for the humankind. Media is
considered as “mirror” of the modern society.
The mass media system is an institution itself. What sets it apart is its potential to influence
the thinking of massive numbers of individuals. In fact, the ideas exchanged in organizational
communication and interpersonal communication are often established, reinforced or negated
by messages in the mass media. This is what it means for societies “to exist in transmission,
in communication.” Different types of communication influence each other. Individuals and
groups in society influence what mass media organizations produce through their creativity
on the input side and their consumption habits on the output side.  Many mass media
transcend social structures to influence multiple societies, and even in societies that heavily
censor their mass media the news of scandals and corruption can get out. The mass media
and society are bound together and shape each other.
 How Media and Politics are Interrelated?

Media is one of the potent tools to launch a robust political narrative in any society. The
information that is relayed and then consumed by the audience has a direct bearing on the
public opinion. This information is critical for a democracy to survive and dissent to
thrive. The different types of social media are nowadays used by many different kinds of
organizations, in many different fields. Politics are no exception.  The complex relationship
between media and politics has consequences with regard to shaping the public image of
politics and individual politicians.

 Individually, Digital media have become an integral part of citizens’ political life as a
growing number of people around the world use digital media technologies for information
and communication. Collectively, digital media have also constituted an important platform
that people use to coordinate among themselves and mobilize each other. The rise of new
media has complicated the political media system. New political media are forms of
communication that facilitate the production, dissemination, and exchange of political content
on platforms and within networks that accommodate interaction and collaboration. They have
evolved rapidly over the past three decades, and continue to develop in novel, sometimes
unanticipated ways. New media have wide-ranging implications for democratic governance
and political practices. They have radically altered the ways in which government institutions
operate and political leaders communicate. They have transformed the political media
system. They have redefined the way elections are contested, and how citizens engage in
politics. Legacy media consisting of established mass media institutions that predate the
Internet, such as newspapers, radio shows, and television news programs, coexist with new
media that are the outgrowth of technological innovation. While legacy media maintain
relatively stable formats, the litany of new media, which includes websites, blogs, video-
sharing platforms, digital apps, and social media, are continually expanding in innovative
ways. Mass media designed to deliver general interest news to broad audiences. Thus, new
media have introduced an increased level of instability and unpredictability into the political
communication process.
Using social media can be very beneficial for political leaders, candidates, and parties as
well. There is no doubt that personal communication via social media brings political leaders
closer to their potential voters and allows them to communicate faster and reach citizens in a
more targeted manner. Also, it is the cost-effective platform for discussions and engagement
with the country’s citizens. Through social media reactions, feedback, conversations, and
debates can be conducted online as well as support and participation for offline events, which
also allow new audiences to be reached.
National leaders, election candidates, and official government organization are now active on
social networking sites. The interactive nature of social media can help them to clarify their
program to acknowledge better to the citizen’s expectations. Nowadays politicians, political
parties, and candidates also use social media to reach voters. 
 MEDIA FREEDOM and GOVERNMENT
A free press is indispensable in a democratic society. Press freedom is an integral part of
freedom of expression. Media freedom, freedom of various kinds of media and sources of
communication to operate in political and civil society. The term media freedom extends the
traditional idea of the freedom of the press to electronic media, such as radio, television, and
the Internet. Media freedom is generally held to be necessary for democratic societies.
Individuals generally cannot get sufficient information on their own to make informed
decisions on public matters, so they rely on media to provide information. In addition, the
media are an outlet for public discussion and opinion and generally fulfil the functions of
seeking truth, educating the public, and serving as a watchdog over government. Free media
help ensure that the democratic principle of publicity—sometimes referred to as transparency
—is satisfied. Publicity refers to making information about the operations of government
public and provides the opportunity for public debate and scrutiny of matters of public
concern. The media provide information about citizen opinion and concerns to political
leaders and others in power.
Media freedom, and its protection of the principles of publicity, can be curtailed both
by excessive government control and regulation and by market forces and practices. If
free media are going to fulfil their vital functions, then the public needs assurance that the
media are seeking the truth and acting to guard the public interest. Government regulations
on media seek to ensure that media act within the parameters of public interest. However,
many government regulations interfere with media freedom and violate the public’s right to
choose and own media sources. Media freedom has been deteriorating around the world
over the past decade. In some of the most influential democracies in the world, populist
leaders have overseen concerted attempts to throttle the independence of the media sector.
While the threats to global media freedom are real and concerning in their own right, their
impact on the state of democracy is what makes them truly dangerous.
Current Situation of PRESS FREEDOM in
INDIA
Media freedom has been deteriorating around the world over the past decade. The threats
to global media freedom are real and concerning in their own right, their impact on the
state of democracy is what makes them truly dangerous. The fundamental right to seek
and disseminate information through an independent press is under attack. And India is no
exception. Part of the assault has come from an unexpected source. Elected leaders who
should be press freedom’s staunchest defenders, have made explicit attempts to silence
critical media voices and strengthen outlets that serve up favourable coverage. The trend is
linked to a decline in democracy itself: The erosion of press freedom is both a symptom of
and a contributor to the breakdown of other democratic institutions and principles, a fact
that makes it especially alarming.
India has dropped to two places on the World Press Freedom Index, 2020 to be
ranked 142nd out of 180 countries.
Large segments of the population are no longer receiving unbiased news and information.
This is not only because journalists are being thrown in jail. Instead, the media have fallen
prey to more nuanced efforts to throttle their independence. Common methods include
government-backed ownership changes, regulatory and financial pressure, and public
denunciations of honest journalists. Governments have also offered proactive support to
friendly outlets through measures such as lucrative state contracts, favourable regulatory
decisions, and preferential access to state information. The goal is to make the press serve
those in power rather than the public. India, the world’s most populous democracy, is
also sending signals that holding the government accountable is not part of the press’s
responsibility. The ruling Party has supported campaigns to discourage speech that is
“antinational,” and government-aligned thugs have raided critical journalists’ homes and
offices. The media have become widely flattering of Prime Minister, who won re-election
last month, amid allegations that the government issues directives on how the press should
cover his activities and intimidates journalists who push back. The government has also
been selective in the allocation of television licenses, effectively excluding unfriendly
outlets from the airwaves.
Different Kinds of Threats to Press Freedom: -

 The hostility towards the media which is openly encouraged by political

leaders poses a great threat to democracy.
 Government’s pressure in the name of regulations, bombardment of fake news
and over influence of social media is dangerous for the occupation. Corruption-
paid news, advertorials and fake news are threats to free and unbiased media.
 Security of journalists is the biggest issue, killings and assaults on the
Journalists covering sensitive issues are very common.
 Hate speech targeting journalists shared and amplified on social networks are
targeted against journalists using social media.
 Corporate and political power has overwhelmed large sections of the
media, both print and visual, which lead to vested interests and destroy freedom.
On the Freedom of the World index, India was downgraded from "free" to "partly
free." India has been listed under countries considered “bad” for journalism and is among
the most dangerous places in the world for journalists, according to Reporters Without
Borders, which published its 2021 World Press Freedom Index. On India’s draconian
new Information Technology rules  to regulate content on digital news media platforms,
the RSF report says:

“Given that the index had been worked out before India came out with new rules to
“regulate” online news platforms, along with other digital content providers, in February
this year, the situation of press freedom in the country has further deteriorated. The
Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics
Code) Rules, 2021 has been widely criticised, for posing an impediment to a thriving
digital news media space.”

The report has minced no words in delineating how government under is harmful for
journalism. It says, journalists “are exposed to every kind of attack, including police
violence against reporters, ambushes by political activists, and reprisals instigated by
criminal groups or corrupt local officials”. It further adds that ever since “the general
elections in the spring of 2019, won overwhelmingly by ruling party, pressure has
increased on the media”. The report has also specifically touched upon how the Indian
government in 2020 took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to muzzle press
freedom. It has also noted that the situation in Kashmir as “still very worrying”, as
journalists continued to be harassed by police and paramilitary forces, which it says are
due to “utterly Orwellian content regulations”. The report has also shed light on
“extremely violent social media campaigns” that openly call for “public
condemnation” of journalists who are critical of the government, and they even go
to the extent of issuing death threats “especially if they are women”.

Misuse of SEDITION LAW

Sedition as per Section 124-A of the Indian Penal Code  (IPC) reads as, “whoever, by
words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise,
brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite
disaffection towards, the Government established by law in [India], shall be
punished with [imprisonment for life], to which fine may be added, or with
imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or with
fine.” This law was enacted in 1860, under the British Raj, to prevent any offences
against the state.
It has long been recognised that strident criticism of government will not amount to an
attempt to excite disaffection and disloyalty towards government. Yet, the archaic and
colonial view that an intemperate attack on an incumbent ruler should be met with fierce
prosecution for sedition prevails among many in power even today. Freedom of speech
and expression is the hallmark of a democracy that is being compromised due to
the sedition law. Legally speaking, one of the main problems with the sedition law is
that it is poorly defined. The terms “bring into hatred or contempt” or “attempt to excite
disaffection” can be interpreted in many ways and this empowers the police and
government to harass innocent citizens who are across the fence from them. Due to its
poor definition, sedition law can be used spuriously by the police to falsely accuse
individuals as it does not clearly state which acts are seditious and provides a broad
outline of what can be classified as seditious. 

A democracy requires citizens to actively participate in debates and express their

constructive criticisms of government policies. However, the sedition laws have
empowered the executive branch of the government to use the ambiguously
defined provision as an instrument to regulate public opinion and indiscriminately
wield power. The sedition law has become a tool to instil a sense of compliance
towards government policies in the citizens. There have been many instances where the
government has used the sedition law to suppress protesting voices to protect its
interests. This leads to harassment of innocent people and induces a fear in others to
speak against the government. Sedition laws and their growing misuse by governments
of all stripes are a matter of serious concern. Personal liberty and the right to free
speech are hallmarks of liberal democracy and sedition laws and their gross misuse
attack the very foundation of these liberties enshrined in the Indian Constitution.