Ethics of Media

Abstract

Very often, the media is labeled as the fourth pillar of democracy along with the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. The population generally banks on the media to be unbiased, accurate and fair and report the whole truth without having an agenda of its own. They expect the news houses to not be affiliated to any political party so that the news they present is not manipulated in favor of a group of individuals. Media is a social institution which is time and again responsible for changing and altering societies, mindsets, beliefs, opinions, attitudes, and ways of thinking of various social groups such as families and individuals. It acts as a bridge between the people and the ones in positions of power, questioning the latter and bringing them into a forum of discussions and debates. In my essay, I am going to primarily focus on the journalism as well as the advertising side of mass media in India and attempt to analyse the challenges facing them.