CounterMedia.in Launched
By CounterMedia
25 August, 2010
Countercurrents.org
Media in Kerala is currently undergoing a serious crisis of credibility. This accumulated trust deficit stems not entirely from the global fall in grace of corporate media whose news values are being shaped by market forces. The 15-odd TV channels and the mainstream newspapers in the state are fast losing their claim to integrity and fairness mostly because of its inability to initiate self-reform by scrutinizing biases and the questionable set of media practices it follows. CounterMedia is a civil society initiaitive that will offer voices of dissent and help improve the quality of news in Kerala. As the first point of action a website www.countermedia.in is launched. The website is edited by the eminent journalist BRP Bhaskar.
What we propose to do
> Detecting bias, unchallenged assumptions, stereotyping, self-censorship etc. and documenting them
> Providing timely criques and in-depth analysis of news reports that are factual, not rhetorical
> To bring out issues and stories ignored by the mainstream media
> Challenging mainstream media and compel them to initiate reforms
> Empower, educate journalists by offering them alternate points of view, story ideas and links to resources
> Encourage public participation in media criticism
> Uphold freedom of speech and expression
> Help initiate structural reforms in media.
> Help establish independent sources of public interest journalism.
> Foster research into journalism and journalistic practices