The Credibility of Indian Media

It is no doubt that the fourth estate of the world’s largest democracy is failing, and what’s worse is that it’s failing without dignity. There is barely any mainstream media outlet left that does not fear the consequences of publishing news that depicts the truth, considering how the truth of our country does not align with the near utopian image, the government aims to portray. Not only have there been various shreds of evidence before us that bluntly point to the fact that honesty is no longer a virtue of Indian media, but we have also seen the subtle retaliation of the government against journalists and organizations that aim to deliver the truth to the people. The media has a crucial role in promoting democratic and social values, waging a crusade against aberrations in the polity and strengthening democracy, and ensure good governance, however, Indian media is facing this crippling crisis of credibility.

A few channels have also faced penalties and have had to give on-screen apologies for screening obscene content and have been directed to tender to this demand for violating the program code. The BCCC has also been frequently issuing advisories to TV channels cautioning them about their content, particularly depicting victims of rape and acid attack on girls, stereotyping of women in general, and portrayal of minority communities. but to say the least, all these ideas seem ‘in the air’ and ‘clumsy ', thus this model needs reviewing.

From chief editors such as Milind Khandekar to top-class journalists such as Punya Prasun Bajpai, sudden resignations that follow murders of their colleagues that are instigated by politicians only add to the point that the media is no longer independent. The media also has a reputation of taking bribes, being sponsored by industrialists and political parties for support, painting only one half of the story, and not showcasing what 'actually ' happened. They have also been frequently accounted for making inaccurate

Claims, sensationalizing the news and thereby lowering the standard of reporting/journalism.

The politics in media has also caused the news channel to give away fake news many times. For us, as the audience, it becomes difficult to separate the right and wrong information. Many people, being uneducated can easily be influenced by media

This can make it difficult to attain a clear view of what the truth is.

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