Snipped from article..
.....But while the media’s efforts everywhere must be lauded, what the News of the World scandal has revealed is how the media and the political elite, instead of keeping their distance, have been cosying up to each other. Journalists and politicians are not supposed to be friends; it is the former’s job to keep an eagle eye on the latter.
The media is, after all, the fourth estate of democracy — critical to upholding and buttressing citizens’ freedoms. It cannot perform this mission if it gets too close to those it is supposed to monitor. There is thus a clear conflict of interest in too much proximity.
The NoTW scandal has shed light on the close relationship that top media executives like Ms Brooks had with powerful politicians, including the Prime Minister.
Rupert Murdoch’s propensity to meddle in British politics is too well known: thus no politician wanted to be on his wrong side. This incestuous circle is now coming apart.
In India, too, there has been a series of revelations about the nexus between politicians, businessmen and the media.
Aberrations such as “hackgate” should not distract the media from that basic tenet.
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/editorial/dc-comment/public-interest-media-litmus-test-703
