The launch of a television channel must not cause a great stir in today's globalised world that has witnessed a constant crackling of airwaves with the launch of various channels of all hue and colour. But, one South American channel stood out as being an unique experiment that aimed at regional integration and as a platform to provide a voice to the vocal but yet unheard masses of S America. In late June, Telesur, a TV channel started airing news under the patronage of the Venezuelan government led by its charismatic President, Hugo Chavez. On the other hand, in another part of the globe, a ban was imposed on radio channels in Nepal in August, from broadcasting news. All this, when the SAARC information ministers were meeting in Kathmandu to discuss issues like trans-national satellite broadcasting, private channels' management and a SAARC media fund. Perhaps this is testimony to the resounding failure in understanding the role of the media in the Indian sub-continent.

The Indian sub-continent and South America are parallel worlds straddling the same set of miseries that plague resource-rich, developing regions. Both regions are home to a populace with a rich civilizational ethos. The countries in both regions are in different stages of politico-economic experiments and have had their share of failures and successes in implementing the structural adjustments programmes under the auspices of the Washington Consensus. This has entailed an unequal distribution of political and economic resources amongst the masses and hence has resulted in an assault on their rights at all levels. In such circumstances, the role of the media in bringing to light all types of injustices assumes paramount importance. The contrast between the two regions is in the manner in which news is reported or 'not' reported; the constraints placed on it, be it in the form of state repression, unfair competition or agenda setting by a hegemonic media powerhouse.

At first glance, the burst of media activity in the sub-continent projects a false notion of vibrancy. The edifice of a free, impartial and a conscientious media crumbles when one turns the spotlight on the media itself. Liberalisation of the Indian economy opened the floodgates to a media explosion. Raking in revenues through advertisements and TRP ratings has become the sole purpose of media operations. Dominating media conglomerates benefit from an influx of capital investments. There is commoditisation of news. Allegiances are switched from glorification of the state through its own media to pandering to the elite that court and pampers the media, regardless of the ideological moorings. The incredulous reaction to the result of the 2004 General Elections in India, by the media is an example of the media manipulation. The "India Shining" blitz that the media had subscribed to proved to be a chimera. It was a clear case of disconnect between the masses and the media and exposed the elite-media nexus.

Reportage of security issues emanating from migrating population, problems of public health, malnutrition and starvation due to poor governance, Naxalism, sectarian killings, environmental degradation, etc figure only in the periphery of the media's tunnel vision. They briefly occupy primetime spots when a sensational story relating to them is reported. Due to the cost-benefit terms attached to pursuing a new issue and the risks involved in such ventures, human security issues are not treated in-depth and as a result investigative reporting - still in an incipient form in the sub-continent - gets low priority. Instead, 'hegemonic' topics like Kashmir, terrorism and the vicissitude of the stock exchanges hold complete sway. The reader/viewer is also culpable - but to a lesser degree for continued subscription to this form of reporting.

Although news from alternative media organisations is on the rise, its accessibility to the common person is scanty. Organisations like the South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) bear promises of transcending boundaries, to facilitate a greater understanding amongst people, and dispel long-held prejudices. However, its capability will remain limited as long as it is confined to English-speaking media organisations. Different vernacular newspapers and channels from the sub-continent have to be part of its endeavour too. This promise for change has started receiving attention from governments across the region. The capability can be augmented if similar organisations are created.

A socially conscientious media organisation may seem like a contradiction in terms, but a launch of a South Asian Telesur will largely depend upon the networking amongst such organisations. It is obvious that Telesur is as much an ideologically driven political project as it is a news channel. Therefore, it is imperative that the South Asian experiment takes place in its own unique context without falling to traps of aping. In conclusion, the contemporary media in South Asia can be aptly characterised by media guru Marshall McLuhan's famous slogan, "The medium is the message."