For few years now many TV Channels and News Papers have come to be known as Godi media as they unabashedly push the ruling party’s agenda. In India, they have clearly failed to uphold the role of the 4th Pillar that Press is supposed to provides to the edifice of a democratic system. The Government has also persecuted independent journalists with increasing ferocity as a result running an independent media has become a risky enterprise. Many reputed journalists have resigned from the mainstream media houses and started their own YouTube channels or Online Publications and News Portals.
India’s ranking on Press Freedom has been continously sliding since 2014. It has now slid to rank#161 out of 180 – Reporters Without Borders.
As if the above situation was not bad enough, with the approaching elections in many States and the General Election in 2024, the polarisation tactics of the ruling dispensation have got queered. Now many mainstream media houses have a given a free pass to their so called news anchors who peddle hate and shout down the Opposition in contrived debates. The hate mongering is damaging the social fabric of the society and also arousing Hindus to become militants. There is an increasing trend of hate crimes across the country and victimisation of minorities, particularly Muslims.
Recently the Opposition parties in the INDIA formation decided to boycott 14 anchors and publish the list. This has led to attacks on the Opposition parties and trolling of many independent journalists.
21-Sep-23 Yogendra Yadav writes in Samta Marg portal on how to settle or deal with these hate monger anchors.