While the media’s favourite phrase “ don’t shoot the messenger” has been popularly used on every occasion whenever there is in any threat to freedom of expression, it is unfortunate, that the opposition bloc INDIA had to respond to the biased and hostile act of some media persons by black listing 14 of them. The move may be an act of desperation and it does not bode well for the fourth estate. The 28-party INDIA bloc has declared that none of the representatives of the alliance partners will attend or participate in any programme hosted by the blacklisted TV anchors. Gone are the days when television discussions and debates were free and frank. Even during ten years of the UPA government, the media was more than free to bash the government day in and day out. Times have changed and today, it is considered anti-national to attack the government and the ministers. This has led to views that , the Indian media has evolved into an appendage of the ruling party government at the Centre. Some have commented or alleged that after 2012 and onwards Indian mainstream Tv channels and newspapers are willingly or not, converting democracy to dictatorship. This is so because the number of independent media has dwindled and even those still surviving are imposing strict self-censorship to ensure that there is no anti-government expression in any form. Many well known TV anchorpersons have had quite or forced to due to their independent views or because they refuse to toe the line. It is in this context that several independent observers have said there is corporatisation of the Indian media and that all mainstream media are now owned by businessmen close to the powers that be. Even as corporatisation of media is a global phenomenon, in India, it seems to have happened at the expense of journalism of integrity. A chunk of the media, which consists of more than a dozen 24-hour national and dozens of regional television news channels, is known for biased reporting, manufacturing and spreading fake news and falsehoods, and causing communal and social strife in the country’s pluralistic society. It is against this backdrop, that India’s ranking in press freedom has seen a significant decline, as per the latest report by global media watchdog RSF or Reporters Without Borders. The French NGO Reporters Without Borders compiles and publishes an annual ranking of countries based upon the organisation’s assessment of its Press Freedom Index. In its 2023 report RSF downgraded India by 11 points to 161st level out of 180 countries. Indian media freedom now stands below Afghanistan, Somalia and Columbia. That itself is a big talking point and indicates that the Indian media has somehow lost its moorings as the fourth pillar of free and pluralistic Indian democracy. Though the move by INDIA is not a good sign, yet the circumstances that had probably led to its decision was also not good for a free and fair media. All said and done, while press freedom in India is under attack; perhaps those blacklisted had decided to bend due to various reasons. However, it is unfortunate that INDIA bloc has taken such a retrograde step by doing what it condemned others of doing and worse, dividing the media politically.
