Vir Singhvi, Rajdeep Sardesai, Bharka Dutt all big names in the world of indian journalism. In fact they have been decorated with Padhma Shri by the Manmohan Singh Government for their valuable contributions in this field! Outlook has recently exposed the leaked tapes of conversation between a professional corporate lobbyist (professional criminal) and these unworthy media-personnel showing their involvement in many lobbying that includes ministerial berths and influencing public policies on important national resources to benefit bigwigs like some political parties, Ambanis and Tatas.
They are trying to defend themselves by saying that they have merely used their contacts in the higher echelons as a part of their professional duty. It is sure that we will not find any 24X7 news sellers will make a cover story on this issue though they make one even for a petty issue involving politicians and bureaucrats. It is of a brave effort on the part of Outlook to bring out this corruption in indian journalism to the limelight which may face professional boycott from these 24X7 news channels.
We all have been told that definition of corruption includes only public servants when they misuse their public office for their private interests. But it is largely missed that in today's world the public life is operated not only by the public servants but by the media and big corporates. Whoever delivers goods and services to public consumption operates public life. So if he misuses his position it is an act of corruption as it fits for a public servant. In fact these recent findings are as important as was the case with aadharsh scam, 2G scam and famous political scams of 1990s. These criminal journalists should be discredited in public life and their decorations should be revoked.
In the public interest jounalism and media business should be tightly regulated by law especially by putting ceilings on their financial clout and seeing that no business and political vested interests be given opportunity to own and operate the media.
It is also to the credit of UPA II under Manmohan Singh which has given enough autonomy to many central agencies like CBI, ED and Income Tax especially under an efficient Home Minister which has enabled these agencies to unearth and expose many of the recent scams. Let us hope that this leads to strengthening the moral fiber of the country.
