A free and vibrant press is the best safeguard for democracy and all the values that it implies. Implicit in this argument is the fact that the press cannot be a monopoly. It is therefore necessary that the press, or for that matter the television medium, should be subject to competition. This is accepted without question insofar as the Indian media is concerned. Why should there be a change in the situation with respect to foreign media?
The argument that is most often advanced against the foreign media is that in some way traditional Indian values will be destroyed and the sovereign interests of the country will be prejudicially affected. I think this is bunkum. Admittedly, the media has a tremendous influence in moulding the thinking of the people. But there are many other influences which can be equally powerful. Rejection by the people, who are the readers of newspapers and magazines as well as viewers of television, will be the ultimate control over media, Indian or foreign. I have enough faith in the native wisdom of the Indian people.
I am aware that Rupert Murdoch is a very major media force. But this does not mean that anybody should be afraid of him in India. The running of a newspaper or TV channel is not merely a commercial business. The mere availability of virtually unlimited resources cannot guarantee success nor can conventional commercial wisdom alone be adequate. What is important is a commitment to the public interest and the public good. Equally important is that the medium must be alive to the sensibilities of the people and this will be quite difficult for a culturally alien/foreign medium.
Finally, the financial and technical skills are the necessary conditions for the success of any medium. But the more important considerations are relevance, cultural identification and integrity of purpose. All of which are available to the established Indian media in adequate measure. I therefore cannot see how the Indian media can feel threatened by Murdoch's entry. In this context it is relevant to note that STAR TV has been available in the country for quite some time. Has the survival of any Indian channel been threatened by STAR TV?
(Ramoji Rao is proprietor-editor of Eenadu, the largest selling Telugu daily.)
