By Prof Ujjwal K Chowdhury

(Dean, Symbiosis International University

Director, Symbiosis Institute of Media & Communication)

We have an interesting situation as far as sting operations in the Indian media are concerned. It has virtually become the bread and butter of some channels, specially when a channel is launched, as in Live India TV; or when you need to bring an underdog channel to the limelight, as in India TV or Star News; or to reiterate your leading position, as in Aaj Tak. 

Left, right and centre, the news channels of the country are resorting to the weapon of sting operations. When trade unionism evolved worldwide, centering around the movement of May Day on May 1 long back, hartals or strikes were considered to be the weapon of the last order. But, today, often it is the first thing a trade union might think of which is an evidence of the failure of the redressal system available and also lower level of maturity of the trade unions. It is said if diamonds are as frequent as pebbles, they lose their value. And, that is exactly what is happening with regards to sting operations. 

It is also to be noted that rarely sting operations are resorted to by the print publications, except Tehelka publication, or Indian Express in the medical admissions case, in collaboration with a channel. This also shows that it is the visual impact of stings which is the focus of the operations and not necessarily the content of the same. 

It is a dog-bites-dog battle among the myriad news channels today for eyeballs, and hence they are taking the backhanded route for garnering attention. Added to that is the real situation that if one channel does and gains popularity, it will make market situation of news consumers to force the rest of the channels to resort to the same. Also, there is no existing very clear industry or legal standards or code of conduct in place with regards to the stings. 

Three opinions: 

The first opinion is Totally NO. The arguments are that sting operations are lazy journalism and you resort to it when you run out of ideas or ways of telling your story otherwise. And, in stings, entrapment in the form of using women or money to lure your target is almost a must, thereby infringing into the privacy of celebrities, peeping into the bedroom, and playing on the natural weaknesses of human beings.  

Also, it is noted by the critics that the Indian media initiatives are still now immature to handle stings, they do it merely for popularity, and not out of any public commitment or concern. Often, the critics opine, that stings are just Operations and no true journalism, without any follow-up, and victims are forgotten and people never know what happened to those who were exposed. 

Worst of all, stings basically play to the voyeurism of the audiences and cater to their vicarious pleasure in seeing celebrities exposed towards whom you had an envy for long. Human character loves exposure of people whom you envy, gets voyeuristic peeping into others' bedrooms, and seeks vicarious pleasure in knowing the unknown follies of others, better if they are of known people. And, media is using this psychological aspect of human character and couching in the name of investigative journalism. 

The second opinion is that of Largely YES to stings. Good and incisive journalism, advocates opine, is possible only when you expose a wrong person or act or tendency. They ask how you will otherwise prove corruption at high places without stings. They firmly believe that stings have succeeded in making people in power more accountable and careful. There has to be a price of being a celebrity and public figures should be publicly scrutinized, and it is in the fitness of things in public life. They ask how you would otherwise expose the strong-arm politicians of North India, for example, if you do not resort to some sort of stings. 

And, then there is a third opinion: Modified/Cautious approach: YES and NO together. 

My Opinion: YES and NO. 

I am strongly in favour of a cautious approach to stings, but not discarding this tool of journalism completely. As a part of an investigation in public interest, some level of stings justified. Yes, self-regulation of the News Media industry as a whole and of the organization in question in the given context are surely required: some sort of Internal Code of Conduct, but no stings position shall be an extremity of sorts. The fundamental purpose should be putting public interest at the core, and public issues in perspective.