80% journalists believe media covers Modi govt too favourably, reveals study

NT Correspondent

New Delhi: The study by Lokniti and Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) has found that a majority of journalists in India believe that the media covers the Modi government too favourably.

This finding is significant, as it suggests that there is a perception among journalists that the media is not fulfilling its role as a watchdog of the government.

The report, “Indian Media: Trends and Patterns”, aimed at assessing media's overwhelming presence in journalists and consumers' everyday lives, was published on July 26. It is a comprehensive survey of 206 top journalists, around the country, across all mediums – print, TV, and digital.

The report said that threefourths of journalists agreed that “there is favouritism towards one party” when it comes to media coverage.

Of independent journalists, 82 per cent said that the media “generally favours certain political parties”. The study's findings suggest that there is a need for more independent media outlets in India.

These outlets could provide a more balanced view of political news and help to ensure that the media is fulfilling its role as a watchdog of the government. 73 per cent of journalists observed a bias towards one political party within media houses.

When asked which political party is supported by their media organisations, 82% said the BJP, while 3% noted a bias towards the Congress.

80 per cent of journalists said that the Indian news media covers the Modi Government “too favourably”, while 61% reported that the Opposition is covered “too unfavourably” Among the surveyed journalists, 75% were male.

During the assessment, the participants’ age, language, level of seniority, and media association was also considered. Among the respondents, 64 per cent were employed by media organisations, 27 per cent were independent journalists and 9 per cent worked with organisations and independently as well.

As many as 41% were Hindi journalists, 32% English, and the remaining 27% worked in other regional languages. Over 56 per cent were senior journalists and mid-level journalists comprised 35 per cent of the participants, while junior and entry-level comprised 6 per cent and 3 per cent respectively.

The study's findings raise concerns about the state of the media in India. If journalists believe that the media is biased, it could erode public trust in the media and make it more difficult for the media to hold the government accountable.