The number of ‘days’ we celebrate can make anybody go numb & to keep track of it is a herculean task in itself.
16th November is celebrated as the National Press Day since 1966. The council acts as a moral watchdog for the Indian press, ensuring that journalists are not motivated by external influences or factors while reporting any story.
The duty of Press Council of India (PCI) is to regulate, check and monitor all journalistic activities in the country. It ensures that the credibility of journalism remains intact as in India, the press is also considered the fourth pillar of democracy (the other three being Legislature, Executive, Judiciary). The council also examines the quality of reportage of the Indian press. It keeps a check on journalistic activities, monitoring that journalism is not being compromised.
Seminars have been held by the PCI on various issues such as the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the role of media in a crisis situation, the media’s role in nurturing awareness of Fundamental Duties among citizens and its role in preparing people to cope with disasters.
The role of responsible Media has been even more so in the last two years (from Dec 2019, the Pandemic commenced in Wuhan, China & spread its wings, or is it BAT WINGS across the world !).The ‘WhatsApp University’ creates its own news, views & interviews & we all hit the forward button without even checking on the veracity of the information which we receive. It’s the media—especially the PRESS which has also been the harbinger of change with true & correct information for all its readers & yes it competes space with more than 390+ News Channels across India beaming 24/7 (10-Kannada,38-Hindi & 15-English & the rest in other Regional Languages),21st November is also celebrated as the World Television Day – globally to highlight the importance of television as something beyond an electronic tool. Since its invention, it has been one of the most vital sources of entertainment. It has equally been an important tool to educate and inform people. In the late 80s, television also helped unite India as many people would gather in front of a single screen to watch iconic shows such as Hum Log, Buniyaad, Ramayan, and Mahabharat, among others & it was a sense of Déjà vu in 2020 during the Lockdown when India united again to watch the same serials –B&W Big Box Televisions had made way for their swankier versions which can be hung like a painting with OLED TVs invading our Living/Bed rooms.
TV was invented by a Scottish engineer, John Logie Baird, in 1924. Over three decades after its invention, television was introduced in India on September 15, 1959, in New Delhi, with the assistance of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), according to the Press Information Bureau. Initially, in India, programmes were broadcast twice a week for an hour a day on themes such as community health, traffic, road sense citizens’ duties, and rights. And the 1990s saw the invasion & boom of satellite channels initially beaming English content & within no time original Hindi & other regional programs commenced for the Indian market.
And now we have Over the Top –OTT (Amazon,NetFlix,DisneyHotStar,SONY LIV,Voot & the list is increasing) which streams via internet on our hand held devices (mobile/tablet) & on WiFi enabled Televisions.
If this is theory, the practical is we are largely becoming an intolerant nation where Freedom of Speech is curbed with practically no scope for creative & artistic liberties. Case in point being three advertisements (FabIndia,Dabur,Sabyasachi) –all big brands had their promotions curbed with apologies being offered by them in Oct & their Ads had to be withdrawn (in Oct festival season commences in India—with all brand managers planning in advance to promote their new line up).
All Media houses are aligned with certain political parties or are backed by huge conglomerates & hence any deviation is always a No, No !
A stand-up comedian Vir Das is also called Desh Drohi for showing Two India to a predominantly Indian Audience (NRIs based in USA).
Oh yes, we also had the United Nations General Assembly designated 19 November as World Toilet Day to celebrate the invention of toilets & raise awareness over the globe for the 3.6 billion people who still continue to live without access to proper sanitation and toilets. In 2021, the theme is said to be revolving around ‘valuing toilets’.
Errr….and for all the men out there, we also have the No-Shave November a month-long campaign during which people forgo shaving and grooming in order to evoke conversation and raise cancer awareness.
Happy International Men’s Day (19 November) which is being celebrated since 1992 Globally & in India since 2007, this year’s theme being “Better relations between men and women”—Men are from Mars & Women from Venus & in between we also had some celestial positions –we had the Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse(the previous longest partial one was in 1440 & the next longest partial one will be in the year 2669).
An eventful week for sure–the Daze are Packed !