NDTV 24x7 is waking up slowly and challenging the mainstream narrative. Last week they focused on the farmer protest led by Swaraj India's Yogendra Yadav and economist Jagadish Shettigar among others at Jantar Mantar to make India suicide-free. Today, they had a report on the discrepancy in the figures of MUDRA scheme, where a claim of 7 crore jobs in 2 years was made. Has this anything to do with the Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate raids last month on NDTV's Prannoy Roy and wife Radhika Roy's office and homes?
The job of a news organization is to report on all things important and in a fair and objective manner. Of course, the said two stories are not made up but emanated from real incidents. But, why these stories? The first story in question was not carried by other news channels but did appear in The Indian Express. The second is an investigative piece and obviously may be exclusive to NDTV. Do these two examples point to a subtle bias in the focus taken by NDTV or as the fourth pillar of democracy they are just doing their job.
The bigger issue is of the role of the press- print and broadcast. Should the press in the name of objective reporting only give what is considered positive for the ruling dispensation? It has a duty to present all the facts, however negative they may be construed by the government, and let the people decide what they want to believe or not. By focusing on stories that may not be too good for the perception of the working of the NDA government, NDTV is doing its job. As it is, there is too much of praise for whatever the government is doing in the other channels. The shortcomings, mistakes and failed policies are also an indication of the working of the government in power.
Just because a channel questions the demonitisation policy and does an analysis of the impact six months since its implementation does not necessarily make NDTV anti-BJP and pro-Congress. People have a right to know and it is the job of every channel to investigate the claims and counter claims to arrive at the truth. NDTV is doing just that.
The job of a news organization is to report on all things important and in a fair and objective manner. Of course, the said two stories are not made up but emanated from real incidents. But, why these stories? The first story in question was not carried by other news channels but did appear in The Indian Express. The second is an investigative piece and obviously may be exclusive to NDTV. Do these two examples point to a subtle bias in the focus taken by NDTV or as the fourth pillar of democracy they are just doing their job.
The bigger issue is of the role of the press- print and broadcast. Should the press in the name of objective reporting only give what is considered positive for the ruling dispensation? It has a duty to present all the facts, however negative they may be construed by the government, and let the people decide what they want to believe or not. By focusing on stories that may not be too good for the perception of the working of the NDA government, NDTV is doing its job. As it is, there is too much of praise for whatever the government is doing in the other channels. The shortcomings, mistakes and failed policies are also an indication of the working of the government in power.
Just because a channel questions the demonitisation policy and does an analysis of the impact six months since its implementation does not necessarily make NDTV anti-BJP and pro-Congress. People have a right to know and it is the job of every channel to investigate the claims and counter claims to arrive at the truth. NDTV is doing just that.
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