Media must maintain sanctity

The arrest of two Zee News Editors has cast doubt on the role of Media. This is the first time in recent history of Indian media that two editors have been arrested in course of alleged business dealings with the Corporate. Zee News says that Jindal Steel and Power Ltd. have brought disrepute to its credibility by slapping a case of extortion against its two editors. Media is not above the law and it must maintain its sanctity. The editors of Zee News and Zee Business respectively, have been arrested on charges of extortion. Whether the arrest of Zee editors is a case of police high-handedness or a case of extortion is to be decided by the court of law but one thing is certain that moral devaluation has set in both media persons and politicians. When the Zee news was playing one news after another about the irregularities in coal block allotment, why did its editors go hotel for a meeting with the representative of JSPL to strike alleged business deals? The arrests have been made more than a month after Jindal Steel and Power Ltd. (JSPL) filed a complaint with the police alleging that Rs. 100 crore was demanded in the form of advertisements to dilute the campaign launched by the news channel against the business group in connection with the alleged coal block allocation scam. First of all, the media persons of the ranks of editors must not contact the clients themselves and cut business agreements with them. The editors are only entrusted with the task of maintaining the sanctity of their news organization and credibility of the news stories published in their news papers only. Their business is only to ensure the credibility of the news contents in news papers. They must not allow anyone to get the news story planted in the news paper for some vested or business interests of the management. Editors' first and foremost duty is also to maintain the independence of the news paper and they have also to ensure that the news stories published in the newspaper do not favour certain individual or organization. News papers Editors must also maintain their apolitical character. The editor of the news paper, TV news channel and news agency must only see the contents and decide which news occupy what place and priority in news papers and TV news channels. Editors of the news papers are treated with respect by the general public because of their intellectual integrity and probity in public life. They have also to withstand the pressure of the management of the news paper or TV news channel to dilute the importance of the news to safeguard its business interest. General public has no concern for the financial position of the news papers. JSPL chairman Naveen Jindal released video recordings allegedly showing the Zee editors trying to extort Rs. 100 crore in return for the channel not airing damaging stories on coal block allocations involving JSPL. These video recordings must be put to test in forensic laboratory to know its authenticity about the allegation of extortion against the two Zee news editors.