Northeast Nuances
3.3.6 Projection of Northeast: Trends in Representation
educated section who enjoy the facility of choosing which news they want to view. Hence variations are usually apparent in terms of representation.
Respondents from the television industry do agree to television representation of violence being more acceptable and influential because of the audio-visual nature of the media. Regarding representation of violence, television can be fast, informative as well as damaging to some extent. Some specific responses of respondents are as below:
Television is more sensational and regional TV channels in Guwahati largely do not follow any editorial ethics while representing violence on television.
Newspapers mostly rely on facts. Because of the nature of the medium, it cannot go beyond plain facts whereas television channels have a chance of playing it up and make it appealing as well, which in many cases have led people to form strong opinions too. Web also has its space to be analytical and so do magazines, but television has a larger scope to play the story up and also be manipulative.
Television being audio-visual with maximum impact value, violence is represented in it more vividly and mostly live. Blast scenes or dead bodies are common. Crime shows are also favourites in programming content. Public ownership or/and interactive feedback of content in web helps in diverse representation of everything including violence.
Print is a silent media, only the person who wants or is interested in the matter can read, see pictures and if not interested nobody can compel anyone to be part of the news. The same lies for web as well. Now for television, especially the so called “paid channels” repeatedly show particular subject with vested interest. Sometimes knowingly and sometimes unknowingly, as they are compelled to do it because owners of the media houses politically relate with some sections. But still in media there are organisations who are different from the others as they follow the norms of the constitution where it is where freedom of speech in its true sense.
emergence of trend; and if such patterns have undergone any change or shift in due course of time with growing media industry and changing society. Media representation patterns with violence as the prime focus of the industry apparently has seen no major improvement in selection and presentation even with the change in media scenario.
The responses (Figure 3.19) on Projection of northeast: Trends in representation may be categorised as below:
Figure 3.19: Responses on Projection of Northeast: Trends in Representation
Analysing the way media has been projecting the northeastern region as a whole it is seen that certain patterns of projection emerge. The emerging trends in media have been identified by the respondents as the Breaking News, negative stories, stereotypical projection, when it comes to representation patterns of northeast. In the commercialised media industry only violence and similar stories of unrest in the region gets priority over other news items, reflecting a similar pattern in homogeneous products with similar themes, uniform treatment, presentation and content as a whole. Whatever perception the people outside the region have of the region is nothing but a significant contribution of the media. And thus the media is seen at fault completely for any kind of patterned stereotypical projection of the region.
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Projection of northeast and trends in representation- Responses
Responses
A section of respondents though scant (1%) also feel the need for change in the existing trend to change the gloomy media scenario and the inappropriate projection of the region. Attempt towards positive representation and highlighting other neglected and ignored subjects about the region is seen to be a useful tactics to change the existing trend of negativity and violence. Another minor section of respondents also sense a recent imminent change in the representation patterns.
Rush to break news: 14% respondents out of 112 interviewed (Figure 3.19) accept that with competition and increased pace of newsgathering and broadcasting, especially for the television industry, only a certain kind of patterned information mostly violence oriented, has been percolating out of the region which is apparently in accordance with the long existing trend of media representation. Media makers rush to make the news big and grab attention of a larger audience.
According to Freelance Journalist from Assam:
Lately, there has been this latest trend of reporting first or the rush to break the news without confirming the genuineness of the incident / news.
Negative representation: 46% responses (Figure 3.19) were found to considered projection of northeast in media being done in a certain patterned manner, with generally ‘negative’ and ‘selective’ representation of events. Archival reports, literature and media representatives state that of all the information from the region that percolates into news reports to be served to a larger set of audiences, through print, electronic media are reports on broadly based on terrorist activities, illegal immigration from Bangladesh, communal or ethnic clashes. These selective kind of news information are constantly chased by the mainstream media along with the full- blown support from regional media houses and individual practitioners.
According to Sub-editor of a regional newspaper published in English:
There is negative representation of the Northeast in the media (national), where developments and the achievement of the people of this region are hardly given any time or space in the media. But in the regional papers and channels, both the sides are well covered.
According to Producer of a regional television news channel:
North East as a whole is portrayed as a militant affected area. Hardly have we ever seen a positive angle story from the northeast.
According to News Coordinator of a regional television news channel:
The North East has always been neglected by the national media who are busy most of the time with what’s happening in Delhi. Until and unless there is something major happening in the region the national media houses tend to ignore the region.
According to Freelance journalist based in Delhi reporting Assam:
Its only violence, the trend has been escalating with more violence and affecting a large number of people. More the victims bigger is the trackable story.
According to freelance journalist of Assam reporting for several regional media houses:
Northeast anyways has very little representation in national media, but whenever represented, the region comes across as a very restless region (with news likes bomb blasts, ethnic violence etc). Hence in national media no major trend is followed. Expect the fact that news from northeast generally doesn’t get any reportage with no major trend followed.
According to Copy Editor of a vernacular language newspaper organization:
Other parts of India perceive Northeast as a violence prone zone which is struggling through Bangladeshi intruders, violence, erosion of wild life etc. Northeast is highlighted more in negative light due to prevalent violence, rampant corruption, natural calamities etc.
According to Deputy Director (Regional News Unit), Doordarshan News, Guwahati:
Northeast in news means only depressing news- terrorist activities, protests against army atrocities, blasts etc. Private news channels and newspapers refuse to look beyond negative occurrences. This negativity is the trend oblate.
Referring to a revelation done by a survey conducted by an individual organization, a Freelance journalist and Editor of the current affairs magazine said:
A survey (2010) by voluntary association Jeevan Initiative based on content analysis of Assamese media showed that 85% of front-page news space was occupied by negative news.
This is the trend leading to a perception that Assam and the region at large is full of negative happenings.
Reflect Prejudices: 29% respondents (Figure 3.19) refer to the patterned projection of the region in media which reflect the strong prejudices that have persisted for long in media sensibilities.
According to CEO and Content editor of a regional television news channel:
I will say perception is one factor, which influences mainstream media, while they report Northeast, of course things are changing now. Most journalists perceive things to be the way they think, which should not have been the case. Journalists should not perceive but report on facts and what they learn or find out.
According to Editor of an English language newspaper organisation:
It is apparent that the whole nation thinks northeast to be a secluded land, along with the mainstream media, with frequent occurring severe violence and acts of terrorism; happenings very unique and particular to the region. The trend followed so far in media representations has been in attempting to bring to fore incidents which reflect these strong prejudices of media makers as well as media consumers. There is no scope for change or shift in trend of this patterned projection.
Comprehensive violence coverage: 2% respondents (Figure 3.19) apparently referred to the change in media scenario and shift in media trends in reporting northeast. The long followed trend in media representations were found to be revolving around conflict and violence involving and affecting masses, acts of terrorism, ethnic clashes and others. But the recent shift referred to by respondents in reportage from the region, especially Assam, is apparently from militancy and related forms of violence to violence of another kind at individual or gender level. These include domestic violence, atrocities or crime against women, etc.
According to Regional Correspondent of a national newspaper with Guwahati edition:
As militancy related violence has come down in recent time and domestic or mob violence has submerged from the society, media has also shifted its perception and focus too.
According to Copy editor of a regional Newspaper organisation:
Violence against women is getting momentum in terms of cases being reported and gaining media space. When there is no actual violence happening gender violence is always happening for the media. But this has further removed Assam from the national media scenario.
Positive representation attempts: 4% (Figure 3.19) respondents pointed at the positive representation attempts being made in the media industry though at a very subtle level and seem to be optimistic about the role of media in exploring newer avenues from the region and overcoming the violence reign in and outside media representations.
According to Assistant Producer (English News) of a regional news television channel:
North East is portrayed as a militant affected area. However, with involvement of local people in mainstream media and also with few famous personalities who have brought laurels to the region the image has definitely improved, to name a few Marry Kom, Zubeen Garg, Mamoni
Raisom Goswami. Also a handful of entrepreneurs have contributed a lot to improve perception about North East through their endeavours in the area of Tourism, Textile etc.
According to Senior-editor of a regional television news channel:
I think the diversity of Northeast culture needs to be portrayed/ highlighted strongly because the common perceptions associated with it are disturbing. We can focus on more positive things like culture, tradition, tourism etc. but we tend to overlook these and concentrate on violence only.
Oflate attempts are being made at individual levels of regional journalism for changing the media perception as well as mainland perception about the region other than just being focused on violence.
Referring to the other aspects other than violence that are getting reflected in media respondents agreed the process of change is rather slow as any incident of violence often undermines all other aspects and is extensively played up by media. Still a very small section of respondents comprising of only 4% of the entire population, seem optimistic about the change in media patterns of violence which apparently is evident with certain efforts by individual media practitioners.
Need for change: 1% of the respondents (Figure 3.19) referred to the need for change in stereotypical projection of Northeast. Responses were more on suggestive note with media practitioners citing the need for change in media representations.
According to correspondent of English language newspaper published from Assam:
North east as a region cannot surely be presented as a homogenous representation. The entire region has innumerable diversities, so to come up with a fixed and definite pattern would be fruitless. However if amendments’ are to be suggested for defining any representation then it could be clearly said that more exposure should be given to the region then simply projecting unrests, calamities or violent upheavals. Besides the regular run of the mill stories, exposure should be given to offbeat stories which have a distinct flavour of the regions and also follow ups on issues which are on the news should be done. This can remove the feeling of being type casted or misrepresented and open way for understanding the origin and violence in the north eastern regions.
Active audience participation: Another 1% respondent (Figure 3.19) even pointed at the necessity of active audience participation in discarding the prevalent violence patterned news trends can prove to be a game changer in the representation of the region.
According to a respondent from Doordarshan, Regional News Unit Guwahati Office:
Participation of the people from the community is essential in producing news stories and adequate technical support should reach for capacity building of such media houses and individuals. People should be more aware, not only people of the region abut also outside.
Locals living outside should play an equally important role. With increase awareness among the
Media accountability – 2% respondents (Figure 3.19) held the media responsible for extensively covering instances violence selectively in respect to the region.
Apparently media effort should be for informing and educating the media consumers and not stereotypically branding regions as violent or terror prone.
According to News Producer of a regional television news channel:
Most of the problem lies in us I mean to say, the local media houses for that matter. The local media houses should play a positive role in depicting the real about our region. They should have some programs about this region through which we can project the region in a positive manner. But the fact is that they also behave the same as the national news channels. There are instances were reports of this region are being prepared by someone in Delhi and the local media using it the way it is said from the Capital without even knowing and understand the truth. They talk about national news channels not depicting northeast in proper manner but they themselves are involved in such activities in the run to attain more TRP rating. We can change the notion of the people only if we ourselves start something good for our own. This does not mean that all the news channel of the northeast do not depict northeast in a proper manner but there has to be some consistency only then things will change for the good of all.
Discarding the prevailing trend of media violence in representations, Senior Producer of Doordarshan News (Regional News Unit) points at various neglected media issues which though do not fall under popular media trends have been touched upon by media, but in trying to find and project undercurrents of violence and conflict. He apparently tries to figure out what exactly goes wrong in the prevalent stereotypical projection of Northeast as a whole and trends in media representation as follows:
Militancy, insurgency apparently becomes the primary focus in national mainstream media regarding Northeast when looking for story selection. But the basic amenities and requirements are again not adequately projected in media. The basic roots of insurgency, the why’s, how’s and what’s regarding the so called ‘insurgents’, ‘militants’ or ‘extremists’ are never addressed the way it should be by the media. It is essential to find out why they are with guns and not with roses. Requirements such as health, education, employment, and natural recourses - local representation should comprise media texts. Even though government has given so many facilities to the tribals of the region, how far are they implemented? The basic benefits should
reach the target but why it is diverting. What is causing militancy needs to be covered and not what is militancy causing. Such issues are important which not usually projected by media. Lot of insurgent group come to negotiation tables and are having ceasefire rule with government of India. This is a brighter side of a society. Guns cannot solve the problem but negotiations and peace will bring stability, development of the people of Assam and Northeast. So media should highlight how the surrendered people came to mainstream and become the part of government of India. It is high time media should try and focus on issues of development, upliftment of ethnic tribals, demands and rights of the people needs to be addressed. Basically looking beyond violence is essential and focus should be on solution finding and tourism, serenity beauty of the region should not be overpowered by any other thing or issue. As source of income is limited, vast scope of tourism, publicity to world, really needs to be highlighted.
As respondents pointed at more of a negative trend in media representations, and patterned reporting of selective instances of violence only, it was derived that while various aspects of the region are covered only giving them insurgency angle, most news reports are down calculations of all happenings and events in mere facts and figures. The projection of northeast and trends in representation may be said to be glorification of violence and trivialisation of content. Only fewer respondents expressed desire for the existing trend to change for improvement and development of the region through media representations. Media may also play equally important role in modifying perceptions.
With the popular trend of non-stop breaking and exclusive news stories, violence is comprehended to have more news and visual value as it According to general understanding there are certain advantages of representing violence through explicit and graphic details in media. Apparently glorification of explicit violence intensifies sense of fear or sympathy among its consumers. In both cases audiences are expected to want to know more and thus consume more of the media product fulfilling the commercial desires of the media outlets. This trend in media of perceived acceptance of violence is often used by various groups, mostly political or extremist groups who resort to violence to get noticed by mass media and thus reach out to a wide audience which otherwise would not have been achievable.