The short answer is: politicians definitely do. Even if many of us closely involved in the Press (as journalists, columnists, owners, readers, critics) don't appreciate the long-term role of the Fourth Estate for much of the time.
Not just that, they have a close eye on the social media, which direction it is moving in, and how it could be give a twist to help their own goals.
In the past week itself, some media developments here got suddenly noticed. The first was a seemingly innocuous official Department of Information handout. It mentioned that a two-day "Youtubers Conclave" had been organised in Goa in end-August 2023.
The theme of the conference sounded innocuous enough -- Building Development Narrative through Youtubing: Challenges and Opportunities." Tell me, who can criticise laudatory and seemingly impressive goal?
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was official quoted as having stressed on the role of Youtubers in "driving positive change in society". The report went on to say: "He highlighted their unique capacity to connect with people and praised their efforts in becoming influential opinion makers, particularly in areas such as policy, technology, governance, development, and infrastructure."
It was announced that the event was organised in collaboration with the Goa Government and hosted by Pune-based "NGO/educational centre" Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini at Panjim, and it "brought together Youtuber influencers from across the country."
For some time now, the social media has been seen as a golden goose by those who would like to influence the political debate -- in India and within Goa too. Politicians have directly got their finger into the social media pie. They quickly realised it doesn't take much, and the returns can be significant.
In the past, if a hostile nation (like the US) wanted to effect a 'regime change' in say Latin America or Bangladesh, all they needed to do was to incite a few over-ambitious generals (or even colonels) to stage a military coup. More recently, mass protests aided and abetted by foreign powers have helped to topple governments in West Asia, or the Communist Bloc of Eastern Europe.
Likewise, in recent times, if one wants to have a direct influence in the media, all it takes is to prop up a few ambitious mediapersons, convert them into entrepreneurs, or mediapreneurs, and you have an effectively controlled mouthpiece.
Outspoken journalists like Arnab Goswami have been shown to have funding coming in from political quarters. In Goa too, ruling parties have had their finger in the media pie, directly or otherwise, for quite some time.
To be fair, this is not a post-2014 or post-2012 BJP phenomenon alone. Even the Congress had their own "influencers" who would play their "party games" from within the media quite openly.
Things have touched a new high in recent times, as the stakes grew higher in politics. Political parties (or even individual politicians) have invested in the media, openly or otherwise. At least one newspaper in Goa was openly pointed to as being the fiefdom of a certain politician. Subsidies have been given to video news operations in the past, claiming this was support for the Konkani language media. Other individuals have been favoured with hard-to-track blandishments from individual politicians, which can be worth a lot.
The announcement of the Youtubers Conclave triggered concern among a section of Opposition protagonists in Goa. AAP campaigners are among those who are better clued in about what this means, and hence raised the issue.
It is no secret that social media played a huge -- and for quite some time, unnoticed -- role in deciding the fate of the 2012 elections in Panjim, and the 2014 results in New Delhi. Now, some analysts say, the Opposition parties have also got into the game, so there is a closer competition going on there.
For some reason, the BJP leaders in both New Delhi and Goa have more faith in the social media than in the traditional media. They keep their influence in the traditional media; but they also build friends and influence those who can put out their message via the social media.
Prime Minister Modi's reluctance to give press conference has entered its tenth year. But this does not stop our current leaders from giving special interviews to social media "influencers" they trust. Including to discuss issues like the mango-eating habits of the prime minister.
Interestingly, Ranveer Allahbadia a.k.a. BeerBiceps, a YouTuber who has gained an audience of 12 million, recently got a series of union ministers to be his guests in online interviews. Allahbadia has been critiqued in some quarters for his uncritical acceptance of whatever the politicians are willing to tell him, to discuss trivia, and to often avoid critical issues which the politicians need to be asked about.
In response, Meghnad S, the New Delhi-based public policy watcher and former Newslaundry journalist, has come out with a counter-series. Meghnad points to the flaws of BeerBiceps' uncritical journalism, and the questions he just forgot to raise in all the bonhomie with politicians at the top. It can be shocking to realise how the spin given to a story can change its complex completely. This, even as the State funds its favourite Youtubers, with access or perks to make this happen.
My mind goes back in time to the 1980s, when the party in power then too worked on ways to influence the media. It was less sophisticated, but probably as effective in those times. There would be a handful of journalists who were sworn loyalists of the chief minister, or some faction, especially of the ruling party. For obvious reasons.
Perks were doled out on a selective basis. In one high profile case (involving an out-of-station journalist who was seen as close to a Congress dissident), the mediaperson was threatened with a loss of his official quarters. Accreditation was also given out selectively; the late Mario Cabral e Sa fought his accreditation issue in the courts.
But social media opens up many more opportunities, and takes the game to a new level. Also, the game is seen as far more uncertain in our times, which makes every gambit worth it. An issue which needs to be taken seriously.
