Tanushree Basuroy
Research expert covering India
Journalism in India has come a long way since the first Indian newspaper, Hicky’s Bengal Gazette, was launched in 1779. Forming a crucial part of the country’s thriving media and entertainment sector, the news industry is chiefly sustained by three pillars, namely, print media, television, and recently, digital media. As one of the largest democracies in the world, India has a well-established culture of news consumption. As a result, certain news media groups, as well as journalists, have become household names. News brands such as India Today Group, NDTV, and The Hindu constitute the country's legacy media, represented by prominent journalists and editors. The expansion of the news industry to the digital sphere has also provided a platform for several freelancers to find their voice.
Fake news continued to be a challenge in the social media-savvy country, where users increasingly sourced their news from platforms such as YouTube and WhatsApp. Fact-checking organizations and alternative digital news websites, such as Newslaundry and The Wire, played an important role in battling the spread of misinformation. Interestingly, the Indian government also proposed that social media be fact-checked by the Press Information Bureau and other government agencies to curb fake news.
Crimes against journalists have increased, with the murder of prominent journalists like Gauri Lankesh sparking debates about the safety of practicing journalism in India. The BJP-led government also came down heavily on its critics. Since 2014, several journalists have been imprisoned primarily on anti-state charges. Other controversial moves included the Pegasus spyware scandal wherein 300 Indians (including journalists and politicians) were surveilled, frequent internet shutdowns, attempts to censor opposing views on social media, and the banning of the BBC documentary about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The state of news
While there have been many exemplary investigative reports to come from India, the public’s trust in mainstream news media has been wavering. On the one hand, newspapers were found to be the most trusted source of news in the country. On the other hand, sensationalism in news programs, especially debate shows, and biased media coverage have resulted in lower levels of trust in certain outlets. Moreover, news reports often present polarized views owing to partisanship displayed by both media outlets and their audiences. This, coupled with a lacking fact-checking practice, has left room for the propagation of misinformation.Fake news continued to be a challenge in the social media-savvy country, where users increasingly sourced their news from platforms such as YouTube and WhatsApp. Fact-checking organizations and alternative digital news websites, such as Newslaundry and The Wire, played an important role in battling the spread of misinformation. Interestingly, the Indian government also proposed that social media be fact-checked by the Press Information Bureau and other government agencies to curb fake news.
Threats to the fourth estate
India’s position in terms of press freedom and safety has steadily declined over the past decade. Media ownership and control are major concerns affecting media pluralism. An unsustainable financial model has been a pain point for journalism around the world, and India is no different, allowing third parties like MNCs to exert undue influence on news organizations.Crimes against journalists have increased, with the murder of prominent journalists like Gauri Lankesh sparking debates about the safety of practicing journalism in India. The BJP-led government also came down heavily on its critics. Since 2014, several journalists have been imprisoned primarily on anti-state charges. Other controversial moves included the Pegasus spyware scandal wherein 300 Indians (including journalists and politicians) were surveilled, frequent internet shutdowns, attempts to censor opposing views on social media, and the banning of the BBC documentary about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
