"Media is a business"? what is not, Mr Tewari

Bangalore, Aug 20: The political Moolahs mulling over the state of print media, which is facing survival trouble, should think twice before calling media a business.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari, while commenting on news of layoffs by a news channel last week, said,"downsizing or rightsizing taking palace in one of the broadcasting platforms, and at a time when wage board recommendations have been taken to court by one of the promoters, I cannot but help conclude that it would be fair to say that media is a business."

Let's make the conclusion even more 'justifiable'. In a country where politics is a business (without any lay offs...mind it), instead of serving people, how can one expect media to be devoid of interests? It has to survive independently, after all. You speak of advertisements, Mr Tewari, we ask if you have an independent structure for the media to survive.

We appreciate your understanding that "challenges to the print media, broadcasting sector and new media (internet) are unique, distinct and require different treatment", but do you have an appropriate model to support the industry when there are no advertisements? Especially at this time of recession where companies are fighting to stay afloat?

We understand what you mean when you say,"do we have freedom of the press or freedom of the owner of the press?". Very true, in a country where nothing comes for free (note our political circuit), we at least have things to offer against a little bit of help. We still have the capability and the freedom to voice our thoughts and unmask political barons in our own 'not-so-free' way; as against power and money mongers in politics who do nothing even when they are paid. You would know better, won't you?

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