Elaborate stages, live shows, saffron flags: Inside Big Media circus in Ayodhya

The media was omnipresent in Ayodhya this week – moving in big buses plastered with banners with slogans like ‘Ram Ayenge’, translating to “Ram will come”, or carrying mics and cameras with kokum stamps of ‘Jai Shree Ram’ on their foreheads. Some even waved saffron flags during their shows. 

Big Media was fully-absorbed in ‘kar seva’ ahead of the January 22 consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. 

Newslaundry visited the temple town’s media hubs. At one of the busiest media spots, Ram Ki Paidi, the legacy media houses did live shows throughout the day. The elaborate stages which were occupied by popular anchors – from Times Now’s Navika Kumar to News18’s Amish Devgan – were adorned with cutouts of Ram and flex boards that welcomed his ‘return’ to the controversial land. 

India’s mainstream news channels were also joined by some international outlets as the media circus unfolded in the run up to the ceremony. 

What did they do on ground zero? How did they cover the event? 

Watch. 

This report is part of a series of ground reports on Ayodhya. Contribute to the Newslaundry Sena project on the Ram Mandir project, The New Ayodhya, and help us tell more such stories from Ayodhya.

This copy has been published with AI assistance.