Journalistic ethics in coverage of Communal issues ( With special reference to Assam) Debahuti chakravorty empowers anybody in the world to Abstract: broadcast any kind of information to With the media's role as an informa- the masses not only within the coun- tion provider and a watchdog, the try but also throughout the world. freedom of media is considered very This now poses a major challenge for important for democratic countries media to remain truly "ethical". like India. Recognized as the fourth In sensitive state like Assam, where pillar of the democracy, Indian media regional media is not so advanced, the has been playing a decisive role in local as well as social media have keeping the masses informed and been found to disseminate informa- aware, right from the days of British tion about incidents which regional rule. Being one of the most powerful media have not been able to cover tools for shaping public opinion, and some of the consequences of this Indian media shoulders a tremendous uncalled for spread of information responsibility towards the people of have been downright disastrous. The the country. And like any other power researcher in this research will discuss in the world, it needs to be regulated unethical practices by local media and or controlled to ensure ethical gather- social media while covering some ing and distribution of non-misrepre- communal issues of the state. The sented content for the enlightenment research paper will also give insights of the masses. about the consequences of such Journalistic ethics or media ethics act unethical practices of media. The as important guidelines for media per- researcher focuses on the need to sons to self regulate their behavior to devise strategies to counter the propa- ensure that the only the truth reaches ganda that is carried out by the media. out to the people . However, with the Different measure to control the use emergence of new media in the sce- of such media must be carefully con- nario of journalism, the face of media sidered against the need for the free- has completely changed. New media dom to express and communicate. 42 Keywords: media Ethics, Assam, or her membership of any religious or communal issues, media, New linguistic minority, in any State in the media union of India, or Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes within the * Debahuti chakravorty, Assistant meaning of clauses (24) and (25) of Professor, journalism & mass Article 366 of the Constitution of communication Department, Tilak India". One of the most diverse maharashtra Vidyapeeth. regions of the country, the north east- ern region of India is has had its past Introduction: history of ethnic conflicts or commu- Democratic societies represent a wide nal clashes. heterogeneity among the citizens and With the media's role as an communities in terms of diversity in information provider and a watchdog, cultures, languages, social customs the freedom of media is considered and religion. As one of the largest very important for democratic coun- secular countries of the world, India is tries like India. Recognized as the home to a plethora of diversity in fourth pillar of the democracy, Indian caste, creed and religion. There are media has been playing a decisive more than one thousand of different role in keeping the masses informed communities which represent India as and aware, right from the days of a unique and the most culturally British rule. Being one of the most diverse country in world. But India powerful tools for shaping public also has had a sad history of commu- opinion, Indian media shoulders a nal violence among its various com- tremendous responsibility towards the munities. From time to time, such people of the country. And like any clashes amongst communities have other power in the world, it needs to earned India the dubious distinction be regulated or controlled to ensure as the fourth worst communally sensi- ethical gathering and distribution of tive nation of the world. non-misrepresented content for the The conflicts which include enlightenment of the masses. riots and other forms of violence between different communities of dif- Basically the term media ferent religious faith or ethnic origins includes all the different types of are known as communal violence. medium which covers television, The Indian law defines communal radio, cinema, social media photogra- violence as, "any act or series of acts, phy, newspapers & magazine etc. whether spontaneous or planned, However many of these media are resulting in injury or harm to the per- often known as Mass media because son and or property, knowingly direct- of their huge reach to the different ed against any person by virtue of his sections of the society and the world. 43 While some media are intended to late their behavior to ensure that the reach only a limited or small audi- only the truth reaches out to the peo- ence, no one can deny their impor- ple. However, with the emergence of tance. If spreading facts leads to new media in the scenario of journal- awareness amongst masses, spreading ism, the face of media has completely rumors and lies on the other hand, has changed. New media empowers any- an adverse effect on people's minds. body in the world to broadcast any History has a lot of prove where kind of information to the masses not media has played a pivotal role in only within the country but also fomenting communal violence. The throughout the world. This now poses political ambitions of unscrupulous a major challenge for media to remain individuals aid in the spread of com- truly "ethical". Also with the cut munal feelings in the society which at throat competition among the news times affect the media as well result- media, maintained ethics in covering ing in biased reporting. In the context of various issues has become a big of communal violence, media has a challenge. strong pull on mass awareness. Known for the most ethical- Instruments of media at times end up ly and linguistically diverse regions in playing very crucial roles for spread- Asia, north eastern part of India is the ing communal propaganda and per- land of unique cultural diversity. suasion-messages. Newspapers in Cultural diversity means a mixture of India have been accused of directly variety of cultures within a society and repeatedly implicating in the which differs entirely from north to entire process of aggravating commu- east and the east to west. Apart from nal violence. the rest of India, the North Eastern region is the native land for more than Journalistic ethics basically three hundred fifty ethnic groups and comprises the principles of ethics and every group has their own unique cul- of good practices as applicable to spe- ture. Therefore, within a small geo- cific challenges faced by the journal- graphic area there are many different ists According to Pavlik (2008) in languages and cultures in North East. journalism and media ethics usually A place renowned for its magical nat- indicates a set of practices, a code of ural beauty and bewildering diversity, things that journalists and other media North East India is the home to more professionals should or should not do. than 166 separate tribes speaking a It is a normative concept. These codes wide range of languages. The state of are helpful and important but they are Assam, which is recognized as the not sufficient.‟. Journalistic ethics or gateway to the north eastern region, media ethics act as important guide- has limited reach of the national lines for media persons to self regu- media and the regional media is still 44 at its nascent stage, .In the past, the age of the various communal and eth- local as well as social media have nic issues of Assam which are avail- been found to disseminate informa- able on various books, magazines, tion about incidents which regional research paper and internet. The media have not been able to cover researcher will select all the different and some of the consequences of this types of media while covering these uncalled for spread of information various issues. Through the content have been downright disastrous. The analysis the researcher tries to find researcher in this research will discuss out how local media and social media unethical practices by local media and of Assam presented the various com- social media while covering some munal or ethnic issues. The researcher communal issues of the state. The in this research will discuss unethical research paper will also give insights practices by local media and social about the consequences of such media while covering some commu- unethical practices of media. The nal issues of the state. Apart from that researcher focuses on the need to researcher through this research paper devise strategies to counter the propa- will also give insights about the con- ganda that is carried out by the media. sequences of such unethical practices Any measure to control the use of of media. such media must be carefully weighed against the need for the freedom to media in Assam- express and communicate. In Assam, print media has been playing a pivotal role in socio Objectives: political condition of the state. The The basic objectives of this research vernacular newspapers played a sig- paper are- nificant role in the development of the 1. To study the journalistic ethics to state. In the aftermath of the pioneer- be followed while reporting in com- ing efforts of Dr. Nathan Brown's munal issues Orunadoi which was a periodical by 2. To study the role of media in cover- nature, many newspapers publications age of communal issues in Assam came into being.