Media trial of Rhea Chakraborty: Self-regulation must against sensationalism

It is better late than never. Although long overdue, the CBI's recent closure report in the case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death five years ago, exonerating actress Rhea Chakraborty, is more than welcome.  

For one, it puts the lid on an orchestrated distraction that took the entire country for a ride. More importantly, the CBI's final findings turn the spotlight once again on the murky world of our mainstream media, particularly our television channels, which shamelessly shies away from holding the powerful to account, but preys gleefully on those relatively weaker and vulnerable. They purposely vilified Rhea from the pulpits of their studios and vitiated the minds of a majority of countrymen against her. The mindless frenzy they helped whip up saw Rhea being hounded as a 'witch and sorceress'.

That Rhea survived the spell of collective madness – a stint behind bars included – and remains evidently strong without losing any of her wit and charm is heartening. What is depressing, though, is the lack of any remorse on the part of the recalcitrant media. Have you seen or heard any of the TV anchors who night after night then bayed for Rhea's blood express any kind of regret now?

They would have had to pay a price, in all probability, if it had been another country where laws, social decency and professional ethics still retain their value. The same cannot be said anymore about India, where misinformation is having a free run and a free press is under siege, both from inside and outside. If the country's ranking in the Press Freedom Index has plummeted to 159 among 180 countries surveyed, the blame lies with the people of our own tribes as well.

It is not that good people no longer exist in journalism today. Sadly, however, they are far outnumbered by those who prefer to be megaphones for plain propaganda and readily bury ethics and principles of the profession for short-term gains such as plum positions and fat paychecks. Their voices of unreason invariably drown out the murmurs of sanity.

The Rhea Chakraborty fracas in the wake of Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide was no different. While some in the media did express outrage at the witch hunt, the most bellicose of journalists, including the anchors who screamed the loudest from the TV screen every night, had the nation in thrall. TRPs went through the roof, and few complained.

The CBI closure report finally allows for some soul searching. Not that the Indian media will be chastened and turn over a new leaf. The attraction for sensationalism and conspiracy theories will always have a greater pull than what is sombre and circumspect. And, it is very likely that TRP-thirsty TV channels and media platforms seeking attention, clicks and readers will soon zero in on another Rhea Chakraborty for their own instant gratification. Yet, the CBI closure report provides a rare opportunity to reclaim lost ground and rediscover ethics that should ideally be at the centre of our craft.

The way forward should be self-discovery and self-regulation. Inviting the government to regulate the media is a recipe for disaster, as it is likely to end up muzzling and censoring us. It is mostly the same the world over: you give those in power an inch and they will snatch from you a mile. A far better option is certainly to take corrective measures ourselves.

The Editors Guild of India, for one, has recently released an updated version of its code of ethics for all media persons. Among everything else, the body of top editors that sees itself as the media's conscience-keeper calls for sticking to accuracy, fairness and objectivity as the guiding principles for pursuing journalism. It is now up to the conscience of all practicing journalists and editors to ensure that a Rhea Chakraborty-like episode is never repeated.

(The writer is the general secretary of the Editors Guild of India and the former Group Editor-in-Chief, Outlook. The article reflects his personal views.)