Broadcasters have discovered a commercial market in hate-mongering, and the Modi regime a political market in it.
Published Date – 11:45 PM, Sun – 8 October 23
Broadcasters have discovered a commercial market in hate-mongering, and the Modi regime a political market in it.
By Arun Sinha
When the Opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A named 14 TV anchors and announced they would not send their representatives to the debates conducted by them, their calculation probably was that their boycott would force the anchors to stop doing the three vulgar things they had been doing: one, peddle hate against Muslims and Christians; two, glorify the regime; and three, denigrate the Opposition. Over two weeks have passed and the named anchors have shown no signs of reform. If you want to know why, here are the reasons.
One, they have ceased to be journalists. When I.N.D.I.A announced their boycott, they defended their vulgar merchandise on grounds of journalistic freedom. Their defence was ridiculous because they were no longer journalists. The definition of a journalist is very clear. They have to be impartial and accurate. Every bit of information they give must be free from any influence of personal feelings, prejudices or ideological leanings. Every bit of information they give must be supported by evidence. Impartiality and accuracy are the two most sacred norms a journalist has to follow to deserve respect as a journalist. They are the twin pillars on which rest the edifice of their credibility.
Regime’s Propagandists
Why did these 14 anchors decide to be the regime’s propagandists instead of journalists is a question that needs to be probed individually. Each one must have his or her reasons to join the regime’s orchestra. It could be fear of joblessness. It could be a fatter salary. It could be access to high echelons of the regime and privileges of all kinds. It could be popularity among a particular section of the population. It could be saving enough and being known enough to live a good and celebrated life even if they are pushed to the margins in case of a regime change. Who knows what!
The second reason why the anchors keep doing those vulgar things is their protection and promotion by their owners. Do you think anchors can do what they like and the owners of the channels can do nothing but sit and watch? Are they in a coma? There is an obvious complicity here. If the anchors are getting away with open murder of journalism, there is obviously encouragement from the top.
The rise of Narendra Modi has been accompanied by a rise in Hinduphilia and Islamophobia. The broadcasters see a big market for the kind of programmes their anchors are hosting. These programmes draw high viewership and high viewership means high revenue from advertisements. The complicity of the owners might also be on account of the fear of the regime striking at their business empire with cases of tax evasion, money laundering and other illegalities. Who knows what!
When I.N.D.I.A announced the boycott, the News Broadcasting and Digital Association (NBDA), the trade association of the broadcasters, came out with a statement denouncing the Opposition bloc for its attack on freedom of expression. It was like the pot calling the kettle black. On paper, the NBDA accepts that freedom of expression is not the freedom of wilderness. It cannot be uncivilised. It can be exercised only with certain boundaries. The NBDA has laid down a ‘code of ethics’ for its broadcasts, saying they must “conform to the highest standards of rectitude and journalistic ethics”. Article 4 of the NBDA code of ethics says, “News shall not be selected or designed to promote any particular belief, opinion or desires of any interest group.” All that, you can see, is on paper. The broadcasters have locked away their code in a corner of their safe and forgotten about it.
Despite Regulation
You might ask: is there no regulation for TV news channels? There is. We have a self-regulatory body of the broadcasters called News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) which is headed by a retired Supreme Court judge. The NBDSA has given several orders censuring anchors and broadcasters. It also imposes fines.
On April 22 last year, Aman Chopra, the News18 primetime anchor conducted a show called ‘Jahangirpuri ka badla, Mahadev par hamla’ depicting the demolition of a Shiva temple at Rajgarh, Alwar, Rajasthan in an anti-encroachment drive as an ‘act of revenge’ by the Gehlot government for the demolition of encroachments by Muslims at Jahangirpuri, Delhi. Chopra’s show was lacking in both accuracy and impartiality. The temple was demolished three days before demolitions took place at Jahangirpuri. How could it be revenge for demolitions at Jahangirpuri? Moreover, the demolition at Rajgarh was ordered by the BJP-dominated municipal council. The Gehlot government had nothing to do with it. How could it be an ‘act of revenge’ by the Gehlot government?
The NBDSA imposed fines of Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 on News18 Media for the two untruthful, hateful and inflammatory shows on the subject hosted by Chopra. But these fines did not change anything. Chopra continued to do untruthful, hateful and inflammatory shows on News18 Media. It did not affect the channel or the anchor in any way. The NBDSA keeps on censuring and imposing fines on broadcasters, but they do not take their hate-mongering anchors off the shows. What does it tell you? Obviously, there are deeper reasons why the broadcasters are allowing it to happen.
Keeping Regime Happy
It is here that the regime comes into the picture. The channel owners have to keep the regime in good humour for the survival and promotion of their business. The anchors who glorify the regime and peddle hate are like living proof the channel owners provide of their devotion to the regime daily.
The fact that the regime is happy with what the channels and anchors are doing is evident from its behaviour. It does not invoke Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code, which disallows ‘promotion of enmity between different groups,’ nor Section 295A, which prohibits ‘deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs,’ to punish them. It does not use the Cable Television Network Rules, which disallow any programme containing an attack on religions. Why do you think the regime is not doing it? It is obvious. Much as the broadcasters have discovered a commercial market in hate-mongering, the Modi regime has found a political market in it.
