Symbiotic or Parasitic

Politics and the media. Somehow these are two facets of present day India which gives the average person a lot to talk about. Our country’s average Joe/Jane is a self styled political theorist each of whom has his or her own opinion about the politics of the state.

To say that the relationship between Media and Politics is symbiotic would be an understatement. One cannot live with the other, nor live without the other. The last Lok Sabha elections “India is shining” media campaign comes straight to my mind. Well Glitzy as it may seem apparently that led to the downfall of the NDA government. Also in those days almost every market survey firm, worth its salt, tied up with a news agency bringing out their own version of exit polls, all of which predicted an NDA victory. Except the master of psephology, Pronnoy Roy’s channel which did otherwise and drew quite a flak for that. The results are there for everyone to see.
Somehow there seems to be a more mutually parasitic than a symbiotic angle to affair. I don’t know how far biologically correct that term is. But the fact of the matter is that both thrive out of each other’s plate, chewing all ends up, trying to malign the other. The media seems to rely heavily on the political affairs of the country for its daily bread, mostly by slamming them. Similarly the firbrand politicians slam a section of the media for bringing them to disrepute. Really irks me; is it pre-mediated? Else how can a simultaneous hate parade (enough fodder for a solid suit) lead to be beneficiary for both?

The current “war” is a case in point. Mr Narendra Modi v/s the English Media. Somehow both derive significant mileage by slamming the other – which leads to my previous question. Mr Modi slams the English media as per Sagarika Ghose “the English-speaking Left-inclined upper class Nehru-style firangis who, ever since the neglect of Sardar Patel by the congress, have failed to give Gujarat its due”. The media on the other hand with its myopic vision cannot see beyond the Godhra carnage and the genocide aftermath, and thus paints a very poor picture of Gujrat. The irony in this battle however happens to be the fact that Modhi has romped home with a resounding victory and the channel in question has the highest viewership.
Am I missing something or is it the way it is…….