The Great Indian Media Circus

Abstract

India is the largest democracy in the world. The constitution consists of six fundamental rights which are granted to every citizen of the country. Freedom of press is one of the fundamental rights governed under the Right to Freedom of speech and expression (Article 19 (1) (a)). In India, Press and Media is considered as the fourth pillar of democracy after Legislation, Executive and Judiciary. This may be because the media has a large role of giving a voice to the voiceless and guiding the attention of policy makers towards public atrocities and illegal activities. It is important to note that due to the advancement of technology, the power and reach of the media have increased exponentially. According to survey conducted in 2022, TV news channels reach 24% of all audiences in India (Statista, 2022). This number is enough to influence the audience and create a one sided narrative. What is the narrative? It is to establish in people's mind that the Muslim community, which represents 14% of the total population in India, is a danger to wider society and is growing speedily. This is presented as a threat which can overpower the Hindu community in India, which is around 80% of the total population. However, many commentators have dismissed this illogical possibility, stating that even in 1000 years this cannot be possible (Deccan Herald, 2022). Nonetheless, mainstream news channels in India continue to project Muslims as a danger and as jihadists, COVID-19 spreaders or worse...