Noise vs News on Indian TV channels

My students often ask me if all that is shown on news channels is true. They ask if all the nation cares about is if Rhea Chakraborty is the vamp she is made out to be? Or whether Sara Ali Khan’s driver has tested Covid-19 positive?

All this at a time when the economy is headed for its worst contradiction in years! If TV news was actually about news that really matters, then shouldn’t news about GDP have made it to the prime time? Gone are the days when TV news was all about providing an unbiased, informative platform for viewers and a conducive environment for guest speakers. Today, all we see on majority of the news channels is biased reporting and personal attacks by anchors in what comes across as a toxic environment. This remains true across genres and across languages. Regional news channels, too, have caught up with this frenzy.

Last month, a political party spokesperson died of cardiac arrest after a heated news debate on television. Let’s just agree that news has lost its battle to noise. But hey, heated arguments on prime time are huge TRP pullers, right?

Author:
Chitra Unnithan, Assistant Professor, Unitedworld School of Liberal Arts and Mass Communication (USLM)

Disclaimer: The opinions / views expressed in this article are solely of the author in his / her individual capacity. They do not purport to reflect the opinions and/or views of the College and/or University or its members.