An Open Letter to Indian ‘National’ Media

My dear Indian ‘national’ media,

The recent Twitter trend against a national television news channel has once again highlighted the flimsy basis of sensationalism and mass hysteria combined with biased, inaccurate reporting that a section of news media outlets thrive on. Every news item/issue that we see today is visible only because a news editor sitting somewhere deems it saleable. A news item is deemed worthy by our “national” news media only if it sells.

Sale-worthy news items are pre-determined by their proximity to the Hindi heartland or to Indian politics. Your “national” news coverage is directly proportional to the number of Lok Sabha seats from that state (with notable exceptions such as Delhi). But mostly, prime coverage areas are always chosen on the basis of proximity to their news studios. South India is not covered nearly as much as North India by our “national” news media. The worst region that suffers from this biased news coverage is the North-East.

North-East India is seen as unimportant or insignificant. It would obviously not be considered insignificant if, all of a sudden, all North-Easterners decided to become separatists. I imagine our “national” news channels would then cover every single North-East issue with the dedication and devotion they reserve for Jammu and Kashmir.

North-East happens to fall in that unfortunate geographical region of India where most citizens are proudly Indian yet they and their issues are not accorded the same regard as the North or South India by our “national” news media.

So my question to all “national” news media is this: If you call yourself a “national” newspaper or “national” television channel, shouldn’t you cover all the regions on the national map of India with equal journalistic diligence and fervour?

Should you not be unbiased in your news coverage?

Let me give you an example of why I think the “national” news media is not truly “national”. As an Assamese, I have always felt let down by the lack of news coverage of relevant news from Assam in the mainstream media. The Times of India, The Hindu and The Indian Express are widely recognised in India as English-language “national” newspapers in India. We keep reading “expert” columns on the Mumbai terror attacks. Yet how many Indians knew that Assam is the worst sufferer of human casualties in terror attacks among all Indian states? English news channels like NDTV, Headlines Today, Times Now and CNN-IBN seem no better; actually they are even worse than the newspapers when it comes to covering news related to Assam.

It disturbs me a great deal to see the flood coverage of Jammu and Kashmir being given prime-time attention when there is a flood in Assam almost annually. I do not begrudge the Kashmiris their prime-time space or empathy and the Central government’s sense of immediacy and help, but when was the last time any of these “national” newspapers or news channels discussed any Assam-related issue with the same merit, sincerity and most importantly, expert knowledge that the cases deserved?

Similarly, during the Bodo-Muslim riots, the cases did not receive the kind of attention they deserved in the national media. In some of these televised debates, it was disquieting to hear supposedly high-ranking government diplomats speak about these issues in such general (and sometimes not wholly correct or informed) terms. It is painfully obvious to any regular Assamese viewer that television “experts” lack the requisite knowledge to discuss the issue thoroughly.

What is more annoying is how these news channels and newspapers almost never seem to invite Assamese experts, journalists (Wasbir Hussain in Times Now appears to be an exception), politicians or activists in their discussions or columns even when discussing Assamese issues. This would be unthinkable if they were discussing a Tamil/Bengali/Kashmiri issue.

Now compare the Assam riots to the Muzaffarnagar riots in UP and you will notice the disparity. Not only did the national media investigate this UP riot in the most microscopic details imaginable, but columns and columns of expert opinion were published in the newspapers and the issue discussed to death in the news channels. Precious space and time was dedicated to Akhilesh Yadav, with experts commenting on what he was doing on that day, what he said or did not say.

When was the last time those same news channels and newspapers tried to decipher Tarun Gogoi’s statement or his facial expression on a similar subject matter?

Imagine constantly reading and watching national news about the Bengal Tiger extinction when the world’s one-of-its kind one-horned Rhino is dying out in our own backyard and prominent activists or “national” media do not speak a word about it? Perhaps what is not news-worthy is not activism-worthy either.

National news media, today, does have the capability to create a kind of political and social accountability to the public. They have the ability to create more transparency, build knowledge and disseminate it fast and effectively. So denying us this space and attention does a great disservice not only to the general public, but also to the state government’s interests. If you truly consider us as equal Indian citizens, you should include our issues in your “national” news coverage.

Otherwise are we to assume that your failure in giving the North-East due media attention is a silent message that you do not consider us as equal, fellow Indians?

From,

Nayyara (A disgruntled Assamese)