Understanding Media Representation of Violence in Assam
3.2. Theoretical Understanding
3.2.9 Overcoming Inappropriate Representation of Violence
Representation of violence in media apparently seems to have various negative connotations for media experts, academicians and media consumers. Experts believe that representation of violence or too much of violence in media has had negative
impact on media consumers, even more if it is over a prolonged period of time. Thus finding ways on overcoming the inappropriate representation of violence becomes an area of concern and systematic study in figuring out as to what may be the most practical way of fighting the perceived negative side of representation of violence.
While there is ample amount of work done in various places in different times on determining inappropriate representation of violence and ill effects of exposure to media violence, there is little work in regard to situational and regional differences.
The responses (Figure 3.9) on ways of overcoming inappropriate representation of violence may be categorised as below:
Figure 3.9: Responses on Overcoming Inappropriate Representation of Violence
Self-regulation: The most practical way of fighting the inappropriate representation of violence was apparently found to be self-regulation according to respondents.
There certainly exists no strict regulatory body or censorships regarding representation of violence in media, therefore according to respondents, following of ethics at individual level become all the more essential. Self-regulation was pointed at as the most effective practical way of fighting the negative side of representation of violence in media, with 26% respondents (Figure 3.9) pointing towards it. But the problem that journalists face in today’s context is that the definition of ethics varies from individual to individual and organization to organization. Ethics, according to respondents, is a set of unsaid unwritten rules and regulations at very personal level.
29
15 11
7 3
16 12 9
4 4
1 1
0 105 15 2025 30 35
No. of Respondents
Overcoming Inappropriate Representation of Violence- Responses
Responses
While some do abide by these, there is no organizational or professional compulsion for the same. Exercising self-regulation in media, according to respondents also means, restraining from looking for personal gains on the part of reporters and editors or putting forward personal preconceived notions for the consumers.
The point is best reflected in the following selective responses on self regulation on the part of media practitioners:
Every media house should set a definite structure of its limitations to present a news item containing violence. Moreover, all media houses should also have a self introspection and work for the benefits of the mass.
As a journalist, practicing strong ethics at each and every step of investigating the event to presenting it to the audience/readers will more than suffice to reduce and remove negativities in violence representation.
Media producers need to be conscious themselves and project events in dignified way, keeping in mind, the communal harmony and the mindset of the people. And it will be possible only when the media content producers are not biased. The media community should not feel superior enough to dictate opinions and verdicts to its audiences but instead should project true facts only. Keeping this balance is the outmost requirement of the news channels or a media organization who is supposed to give the correct projection and information to the viewers.
Media makers need to be responsible themselves in absence of regulatory body. Every event needs to be intelligently represented in media, not twisting facts but putting them forward in intelligent manner.
Professional training: Respondents feel that the current situation of violence being portrayed in negative light was lack of training and professionalism among the media fraternity in the region and also lack of knowledge among the larger section of media practitioners who deal with representation of the region in media. 16% respondents (Figure 3.9) said proper professional training to journalists, sensitising them about tackling crime and conflict would make them realise the sensitivity of issues and thus would contribute towards fighting the negative representational aspect of violence.
According to Regional Correspondent of a national television news channel:
Journalists should be well trained professionals at the very first place. There should be regular training and workshop organized for reporters and journalists.
Accurate information: 13% respondents (Figure 3.9) say that representation of violence can only be dealt with without portraying it as negative, if only facts are
authenticated and validated and only accurate information is disseminated through media. Ideally information should be such that it does not instigate or harm anyone.
Thus respondents believed that any piece of information should be reported by media only after validating it from all relevant authorities and sources.
According to a senior reporter of a national television channel reporting from Assam:
In the profit driven media industry there are many factors that instigate to break the news directly to the audiences with a slightest hint of it. There is pressure from authorities to exclusively file stories of violence with focus on destruction and loss. In this hurry of grabbing the information first and releasing to the audience fast, what is overlooked and often skipped is validation of facts and accuracy of information suffers, leading to a whole lot of misrepresentations, misunderstandings, falsifications and wrong perception creations. All that is not meant to be in news are finally in news because of all wrong reasons.
According to Editor of a vernacular daily newspaper published from Guwahati:
News reports are programmed to provide information. If facts are to be revealed, there should not be reporting of partial facts, information should not be concealed. Instead of striving for giving a personal or organisational version of a news story, objectivity giving all versions of all the involved parties shall help in proper representation.
A respondent pointing at the competition that leads to one media house picking up information from another media house and playing up its own version is a trend that has oblate been into practice to compete and survive in the media industry. He opines:
In-depth research on the topic before passing an overall prejudiced statement is very necessary. Facts should be properly analysed before drawing conclusion rather than being carried away by any other newspaper or news channel information.
Avoiding sensationalism: Media practitioners are often accused of sensationalising stories in order to sell more of the media text to a larger section of audience.
Sensationalise news reports journalist often results in inappropriate representation of violence, exaggerated facts and figures, and even fabrication of news. Thus sensationalism, a practice in contrast to desired objective journalism, was pointed out by 10% of respondents (Figure 3.9) to be avoided as one of the most practical ways of reducing inappropriate representation of violence in media. Selective responses with similar opinion are given below:
The news makers need to understand their responsibility towards the society; accordingly without exaggerating the facts and figures they should represent the violence issues in unbiased
manner. The practice of sensational reporting should be essentially done away with for proper representation of people, issues and events in media.
Employing ethics and morality and avoiding unnecessary sensationalism while reporting incidents of violence is the only possible way to avoid inappropriate representation.
Non-realistic: While majority of the respondents point at some practices that may be employed by media houses as a whole and individual media practitioners, to control and minimise inappropriate representation of violence, it was found that most respondents are giving opinions which was rather difficult to follow in this highly commercialised industry. Escalation consumerism involved in media has given rise to homogenisation of media products where violence has been accepted as the most selling content. According to 1% respondents (Figure 3.9) avoiding inappropriate information about violence in present media scenario is a non-realistic concept. As the Resident Editor of an English language newspaper puts it:
Restraint on the part of reporters & editors in reporting conflict and respecting victims’
privacy, have become mere theoretical words in 24X7 news coverage by TV channels and race to get scoop stories. Overcoming this take on violence by media houses is difficult as ethics, regulation, and non-sensationalism have become mere theoretical words in present practice of news coverage.
Breaking stereotypes: 8% respondents (Figure 3.9) opine rejecting or discarding stereotypical projection of violence from the region already branded as violence prone is very essential to overcome the negatives and impropriations of representation of violence. Apparently positive approach towards news stories from the region becomes a must to change the image and perceptions. Following are few selective responses where respondents suggest breaking stereotypes would help in transforming the present media scenario with focus shifting from violent and negative stories to better representations:
Dedicating a particular slot specially to cover offbeat stories from the region branded by media as violence prone would help to change perceptions and initiate constructive image building process by media itself.
Highlighting the other side of the region besides violence by media would be a positive change.
Other than violent events, media attention may be diverted to issues like tourism, society, people and knowledge about the place etc.
To highlight human interest stories by civic journalism and avoiding stereotypical assumptions can be a significant role by media to fight negative representation of violence.
Reflecting similar views is the response of a freelance journalist who says it is possible to rectify the misrepresentations of violence by breaking stereotypical projections and positive developmental stories:
By drawing the attention of the people about how peace has been restored. Of how further violence will only make one suffer, by projecting developments and stop giving coverage to violence beyond a certain point.
Another noteworthy mention is that in media representation of violence along with inappropriate visuals and text, careless use of terminology by media practitioners also amplifies the negative connotation of a particular media product. For instance words like militants, insurgents, terrorists, guerrillas, rebels have been interchangeable used in media for the non-state groups. It may be assumed that in not trying to comprehend and elaborate upon the details of the conflicts in the region, the mainstream media avoids creating complications and confusions among the media consumers. One easy way that the mainstream media employees for its diverse target consumers beyond the local boundaries to relate to the violence, conflicts and politics from the region, is by unanimously labelling the different armed groups in the region, surviving and fighting the Indian state as ‘terrorists’ (Hasan 2009). As rightly said, it “helps to translate the politics of the frontier into an easy reference point in the national media landscape”
(McDuie-Ra 94) even though it leads to ignoring facts of their origin, cause, motives, strategies etc.