‘Trust Deficit in Media: Way Forward’

Vishü Rita KrochaIn its second edition of the Press Club of India Literary Festival & Book Fair recently held at New Delhi, a very pertinent issue was placed at the heart of the festival with an inaugural panel on the topic, “Trust Deficit in Media: Way Forward.”During the course of the deliberations, a prominent journalist, who is also a consulting editor and anchor of India Today, Rajdeep Sardesai had spoken about how the media has become heavily opinionated in a highly polarised society and how the business model has broken down, all of which has happened at the same time to create a perfect storm. He was also indicating that this is where the trust deficit is primarily coming from because in his words, “the lines between news and opinions have been totally blurred.”  The news is no longer the star but the anchor is the star, he had also highlighted. In a world of increasing YouTubers and Content Creators, this is a common problem confronting the society across the country. People are no longer able to distinguish between a professional journalist and a content creator. Closer home, Nagaland has also been witness to how some content creators are consistently throwing opinions and shoving microphones into people’s faces. More than being the voice of the people, the way information is being produced or consumed, has become a terrifying experience for many people.A major challenge for journalists today to regain and build that trust, is to simply remain true to their profession and the core values for which they chose to tell stories in the first place, and to go back to the ethics of journalism which is built on the foundation of truth and accuracy.While these also form the core pillars of professional ethics of journalism, truth and accuracy still remain at the heart of gaining public trust and a well-informed society.But the society at large also needs to understand that every information available at their finger tips are not necessarily true and accurate. On the other hand, when stories from the margins are either ignored or sensationalized, the audience’s trust naturally erodes. They stop seeing themselves reflected accurately in the media. Trust is most often built on proximity and authenticity.The way forward for trust deficit in media requires a radical return to grassroots storytelling. We must decentralize the narrative landscape and empower local voices, which local journalists and media also strive to do this heavy lifting every day, often without vast resources. Rebuilding trust means holding space for diverse narratives, ensuring accuracy over speed, and prioritizing empathy over engagement metrics.Despite the fast-paced world of technology that we live in today, the power of slow journalism and literature still remain the driving force of telling our stories accurately. And when any story is told with truth and honesty, there is really no room for trust deficit.This is a guest editorial by Vishü Rita Krocha. She is the Publisher of PenThrill Publication and a senior journalist based in Kohima.