Press is the fourth pillar of a democracy, acting as a watchdog on the other three pillars, it commits to delivering accurate and verified information to the citizens. With India’s Press Freedom Index declining, there is a new device of journalism growing popular: phones.
Role of Journalism in Democracy
Press facilitates understanding of local issues, global affairs, policy changes and cultural shifts to the public. When informed citizens vote, democracy functions. Journalists counterbalance the power of the other three pillars by asking tough questions, uncovering wrongdoings, and voicing demands of the disadvantaged.
Accountability journalism safeguards the public interest by verifying facts, exposing misconduct, and asking difficult questions. In India, there is no dedicated constitutional shield, unlike the executive, legislative, and judiciary; journalists are believed to be working under the basic right to freedom. Surviving on public trust and press freedom, it is the only mechanism which allows citizens to govern the governors.
State of Mainstream Television Media
The so-called national media has been criticised for not covering the ground issues, for instance, the protest against Ken-Betwa Link Project, where tribal communities staged fasi (hanging), chita (funeral pyre), jal satyagrah (standing in water) and chulha bandh (stop cooking) to resist displacement and threat to the ecology. The protest later ended after Amit Bhatnagar, a leader of the people affected, ended his 18-days-long hunger strike, after the administration ordered fresh verification of the project affected villages.
Tree felling for building highways and roads has been frequently resisted by the public of Uttarakhand, recently people revived the Chipko Andolan as well but television media has underreported this issue. Other projects involving massive deforestation such as Hasdeo Arand and urban mangrove clearances remain underreported.
Public protesting against the proposed Google-Adani mega data centres in Visakhapatnam due to threats to water security, environmental damage and displacement of local communities have barely received any attention from prominent news channels. The issues involving environmental losses have been framed as a necessary trade-off for development by the television media.
Due to tropical monsoons and Brahmaputra River carrying heavy sediments, Assam floods almost annually with deforestation worsening the problem. Currently, the people of Assam are facing devastating floods but their cries have barely made to the newsrooms. The death toll claims to have risen to 68; Assam demands immediate attention and accountability as the victims feel abandoned by the double-engine government.
The ignorance is not just limited to Assam; Manipur has been in conflict since May 2023. When Manipur High Court granted scheduled tribe status to the Meitei community, Kuki-Zo group feared losing their job and land quotas. Both the communities have been in conflict which has led to over 250 deaths, around 60000 people displaced, nearly 5000 houses burnt and religious places like churches and temples vandalised. The community in minority in any region has been subjected to arson, riots, murders, lynching, mutilation, plunders and gang rape. Television media only covered this issue when a clip of public gang rape and parade of Kuki women went viral. Considering the human cost and impact on daily lives of the citizens, Manipur has received meagre attention. Though the Editors Guild of India published a report on shortcomings and biases in the media coverage by journalists of Manipur, to which the state government filed criminal charges against the EGI, to intimidate press independence, which also got no media coverage.
Shift to phones
These on ground developments could not reach prime time news, so it shifted to Instagram, Threads, X and YouTube. Through independent journalists, news portals, local media, and content creators, the citizens have been informed. The Uttarakhand deforestation protest and Ken-Betwa Fasi Andolan has been resolved as of now.
Though several social media outlets are voicing their concern for protests in Vizag and for Assamese people, these causes require more attention for proper resolution. Manipur remains to be a complex issue which seeks immediate resolution.
The recent Cockroach Janta Party protest against paper leaks remained unreported on television until the police brutality on 20th July. Print media and social media outlets covered it from day one. Few journalists reported from the clashes between police and protestors. When the mainstream television finally covered it, a totally different narrative was pushed forward making unverified claims, students were attributed as violent, whereas police brutality was downplayed. A famous television channel did a broadcast on how the movement was foreign funded which Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for Ministry of External Affairs himself denied. Indian youth have chosen a different form of journalism which is more grounded to the issues.
Reasons Behind the Decline
Major television channels are either owned or heavily influenced by business tycoons such the Reliance industry owns the Network 18 Group, Adani group owns NDTV network, Subhash Chandra who owns Zee Group, is a Member of Rajya Sabha with the support of BJP legislators, Rajeev Chandrashekhar, co-founder of Republic TV, is BJP’s state president in Kerala, Rajat Sharma, associated with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, BJP’s student wing, is the owner of Independent News Service. While there is no publicly claimed connection but ABP group and India Today Network have also been criticised for aligning with BJP narratives. At regional level, Odisha TV is owned by BJP’s spokesperson, Baijayant Panda and Pride East Entertainments Private is owned by Assam’s current Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, Rinki Bhuyan Sarma.
Press Freedom Index Report ranked India’s freedom of press at 157th out of 180 countries; the media sometimes openly restricts voices of minority. The report states an average of 2-3 journalist lose their lives due to their work. Harassment, threats, intimidation, prosecutions and arrests, along with coordinated campaigns of hatred and labelling as “anti-national” by the proponents of Hindutva.
As a part of democracy, television media is a major crack on the fourth pillar, as it does not fulfil the function of making informed citizens. The change is clear, but the older generations still relying on television media and not verifying the narratives promoted on it paints different realities amongst the citizens, which is far different from the ones the youth consume through their mobile phones.
Mobile phones have become a more credible source of news while the television loses public trust. True journalism requires courage, truth and independence. Evaluating, questioning and holding cultural and government structures accountable, it exposes flaws and guides public sentiment.
References:
- Press Freedom Index 2026
- The Pioneer
- Hindustan Times
- Al-Jazeera