Sleaze & Media Hypocrisy

A small item in the inside page of a daily newspaper would have otherwise gone unnoticed. Crime and sleaze have become so repetitive that it no longer shocks collective or individual consciousness. The more the element of sensation, the more it is newsworthy and headlines material. Individual journos too seem to get a kick out of championing and taking a moral high ground while lambasting the police, society and the system in general. Introspection is the last word in the vocabulary of the media. So the news of Delhi Police arresting 9 people, including women, for allegedly duping several by running a fake Friendship Club is in no way an earth-shattering news item.

However, a couple of pages down the same newspaper edition there seem to be an element of hypocrisy with a number of advertisements. The bombardment of very many sleaze advertisements, inviting lonely hearts to “enjoy” either with Indian or Foreigner as per their choice made me reopen the page yet again. A number of classified and display ads were overtly and provocatively inviting men to enjoy with the beauty of their choice. No doubt, the role of the media had gone down the drains in the lure of paid ads and it was all too obvious that marketing guys were calling the shots in one of the leading newspaper of the country.

If there is an element of social responsibility for the media, such overtly suggestive advertisements are anti-thesis of social concerns. Delhi Hot Escorts, Foreigners only-Real Ramp Models only for 5 and 7 star guests, Escort Service by Decent Slim Educated Beautiful Gorgeous Girl, House Wife, Models, Air Hostess, Enjoy and Relax Your Mind, Complete Satisfaction for Broadminded Guests, these are some of the samples of such advertisements. Of course, most of such advertisements are guised under the Massage Parlors or the Escort Service, but the suggestive and provocative tone of the advertisements says it all. For instance, “satisfaction is necessity of every human culture; peace of mind guaranteed, any time/any where females from BPOs and MNC,” does one need to add more to it?

Though legally, such advertisements are within the framework of the specified law of the land, but apart from the legal standpoint, there is always a moral and ethical standpoint as well. And this is something that every media house in India proclaims to champion. In fact, one prominent publication with a bouquet of magazines has the stated policy of not accepting any advertisements by liquor or tobacco companies, even if the said ad is surrogate in its nature. It is in this background that one wonders where the media focus has gone wrong.

The newspaper, as part of its sacrosanct duty (?) puts a disclaimer on the page carrying all these ads: “Readers are recommended to make all enquiries and seek appropriate advice before acting any advertisement appearing in this publication…..Any subscriber entering into any commitment in relation to any advertisement published in this publication, shall do so entirely at his/her discretion, intelligence, and risk…….”

It is not about taking a moral high ground on the world’s oldest profession called prostitution. But the very nature of media business and its added social responsibility suggests that the three leading illicit business globally, that is narcotics, arms and flesh trade, should not be allowed to flourish in any given manner. After all, flesh trade is not guided by just the simple economics of demand and supply. Of course, there is demand for the trade to flourish, but more often than not supply is borne out of compulsion and helplessness. Critics may argue that these ads reflect voluntary flesh trade by the so-called high class. However, the voluntary nature of this business turns out to be a catalyst for the flesh trade to flourish and in turn is a rogue for the society.

If those in the media business think otherwise then why does any call girl racket gets into news. If this is an accepted norm for them, then the lack of unusual element does not make it newsworthy at all. And if it is not acceptable then one such news item followed by such suggestive and provocative advertisements are nothing but sheer hypocrisy. It is true that the media business is fast turning out to be market-driven than editorial driven, but then journalists too are responsible to be a party to the hypocrisy.