Biased media is a threat to the fundamental idea of democracy

    Biased media is an immense threat to democracy. This is evident from the often victim-blaming and/or victim-focused articles produced by most traditional media channels that bring unwarranted and unsolicited attention when the focus and the blame should be shifted to the perpetrators, facilitating free and just communication, a foundational principle of democracy, not to mention the threat from politically influenced/leaning media portals. Moreover, it's also a threat when media companies push down the true and sincere voices of journalists working towards justice or when political/governmental institutions unjustly persecute them. Such instances are also initiated often due to the interference of corporates/private institutions/faith leaders in the information dissemination process. This curbs the free flow of genuine news and stories, thus curbing the development of a healthy democracy. 

    When it comes to online media, though it seems neutral on the surface, the issue is complicated in a different way owing to the discriminatory/biased ways the algorithms of these platforms are designed by the people behind the screen. Moreover, often reporting hate and false information on online/social media is turned a blind eye to, thanks to the biases of people involved in regulating these reports, in result, curbing free flow of full and correct information ingrained with emotional intelligence. This also results in the silencing of so many voices that are already marginalized, effectively taking away the right to equality and right against discrimination of those marginalized voices. 

  

    Both these groups of platforms are also subject to misinformation and/or partial information due to many reasons, few of which involve biases and vested interests of people and/or institutions sharing such information. Though censorship might seem like a good tool to curb such instances from happening, it's a thin line to walk, often turning abusive and/or anarchical, leading to dangerous outcomes like the ones in Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and the religious crimes all over the country. Further, the lack of diversity in the traditional media sector, especially in high-level position is a huge and contradictory factor contributing the bias since there isn't enough representation of the diverse voices of the country in the writers, editors and censors who pen the story of these voices. This ultimately leads to a lack of understanding of context and the information shared being limited in its perspectives, providing little window for growth, another integral pillar to building a successful democracy.