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How media has hit the self-destruct button in Arnab’s Republic-vs-other TV channels war

A weakened media at war with itself is ideal for the establishment to step in. There are no elder voices to listen to, no judge or referee to blow the whistle.

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This is a column sparked by the ugly street brawl that has broken out among TV news channels. Or more precisely, between Arnab Goswami and his Republic on the one hand, and many of the rest on the other.

At one level, it’s such a delightful irony that so many channels, or their ‘maharathi’ (stalwart) anchors, with egos larger than their humongous followings, would make common cause over any issue. We know that Arnab divides. But now we know he can also unite the bitterest adversaries if he is the common threat.

At the outset, I am not going to tell you who I think is lying or telling the truth. That’s a waste in these polarised times when, once you believe in a person or a leader, you believe everything he says. And anything the other side says must be false.

From Donald Trump to Narendra Modi, from Arnab Goswami to Ravish Kumar in our limited connect, that phenomenon rules. And there’s another reason: As school children would say, what goes of my pop (mere baap ka kya jaata hai)? Let these self-styled masters of the universe fight it out. Unfortunately, we can’t be so indifferent.

To explain why we can’t be so indifferent, I will tell you a story. An apocryphal one from the era of the mega historical war movies in Hollywood. It seems a producer assembled the largest ever cast of extras for his war scenes, so he’d be hailed as the showman who brought the most realistic war sequences ever to the screen.

This is spectacular, his financier told him, but I am not about to pay for all these. How will you pay? Not a problem, said the producer. In the last scene, I will give them real weapons, so they all kill each other. It will be so realistic, and there will be none left alive to pay.

Do you see similarities between this and the situation in our news media today? We’re all — the most powerful, popular, the best and worst of us — now caught in this mad battle scene with real weapons. Abusing, cursing and name-calling each other.

This has gone on for some time, since we learnt tricks like the best way to counter a rival who scooped a story before you is to start dissing that story right away as fake, motivated, exaggerated etc. Or, you simply steal it and use the ‘exclusive’ tag. The idea of following up on somebody’s break is now so 20th century, for the losers.

We are not talking of just the television channels. This virus is as contagious as Covid-19 and the problem is nobody is wearing masks or sanitising either. TV just happens to be the more visible player. It was a matter of time before hostility of the studios, newsrooms, fake and exaggerated claims of ratings, exclusives, super exclusives and the latest, “explosive exclusives”, would spill over to the ground.

The entire country has seen, therefore, over the past couple of weeks, reporters and cameramen of rival channels caught in fisticuffs. Studio anchors have run dangerous campaigns against individual reporters of rival channels, never mind if they are women, in a manner that would get a mob interested in a remote heartland village where the story is playing out.


Also read: Why TRPs are important for broadcasters, and are also prone to ‘manipulation’


Why are you bothered, then, you might ask? In any case, since you told us that story of the producer who gave real weapons to the thousands fighting this most realistic war, let them all kill each other. You can, meanwhile, watch the show from a peepul tree, and suck on sugarcane (as we say in the heartland), or munch popcorn. Good question, and here is the answer.

First, from the parochial view of the small demographic of us in the media, it isn’t as if a few hired people are fighting so the rest of us can enjoy as spectators. The news media is an institution, not a show to end in a couple of hours. Second, if you see the state of all media institutions, from the various rival broadcasters’ associations to other societies, ‘clubs’ and even housing cooperatives run by journalists, you’ll find us at each other’s throats. This war is a mass-scale fratricide. We are all the same expendable extras.

Third, think about who gave us the weapons. The producers of this bloody movie are the owners, and they aren’t just driven by market economics. The few who might be are, in fact, among the more honourable. But the media’s power is monetisable in many other ways.

That is why so many with deep pockets and much larger interests in other sectors buy media companies. They come at a tiny price, give you a great profile, you can receive and see off the prime minister or the chief minister at your annual event, preen on the sofa next to him. Those that matter for your other businesses — ministers, civil servants, even judges — are taking note.

You get that immediate rub-off of intangible value, but sizeably more than the economics of your media company. Later, a change of land use for a shopping mall or a residential colony, for example? Contract for building a dam? A couple of mining licences? All these are real examples.

The other set of owners and senior journalists see themselves as ‘players’ in politics and the game of power. They have to choose a side quickly, and almost always the winning side. When you see one television channel under pressure from the police and rival media for allegedly faking its ratings, and within hours, statements appear in its support from the president of the nation’s dominant ruling party and the Union Information & Broadcasting Minister, you know what is at stake.

The temptation to be a part of the establishment today is stronger in our media than our dated old notions of questioning it. And, let’s not judge ourselves too harshly. Questioning the establishment no longer has the consequences we were trained to deal with — a phone call from an unhappy minister, a few taunts, even the denial of the odd interview. It now begins with a complete denial of journalistic access, and may end up in visits by the ‘agencies’. And the powers that be also know that if they go after the odd “black sheep” that is stupid enough to stray from the admiring herd, the rest will cheer along.


Also read: Arnab Goswami vs Congress: Drama for TV ratings or attack on free speech?


If the owners, whether motivated by financial gain or power, are the ones who gave out the real arms to those enacting this scene — including owner-editors — the government is what all governments are, the tax collector. And, therefore, the guaranteed beneficiary.

The more the news media weakens, especially at this juncture of economic ruin with lay offs and wage cuts, the more the owners and journalists weigh their value in terms who they are close to, the more they depend on the state to bail them out of trouble, slow-fry their rival, the faster it pushes us towards institutional destruction.

We then have this unfortunate situation where everybody, from the Supreme Court to the central government wants to ‘regulate’ the media. People, aam janta, by and large, are tired and sniggering at us. Of course, the Centre would prefer to deal with the pesky new digital media first. In the Supreme Court, we have talk of setting up eminent members’ committees to regulate the media, because self-regulation isn’t working. How can it, when the media is a raging war within itself?

It’s an ideal situation for an establishment to step in. Why should India’s most powerful government in almost four decades miss such an opportunity? It will move in professing the best of intentions, for ‘riot control’, to restore order. What can we do, it would say, when all regulation is shot, your own professional institutions are divided or compromised, and you are all caught in this bloodletting. It is also reading the playbook of the Maharashtra government and Mumbai Police.

Our profession has hit the self-destruct button. There are no elder voices to listen to. No Pranab Mukherjee, Bhishma Pitamah, no judge or referee, nobody to blow the whistle. That is what ‘goes of our pops’ in this brutal melee.


Also read: Suspect all, fix all? Is that the motto of our new ‘National Suspicion State’?


 

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154 COMMENTS

  1. Arnob’s Republic channel has only one achievement : he has projected himself and other Hindus as jungli.

    Arnob apparently went to Oxford, he might have been temporarily civilised, but the innate jungli character returned when he came back to India. Look at Bakshi, Sambit Patra and his other invitees.

    From top to bottom at the national level, thugees rule- chai wallah, encounter specialist, rapists and cow lynchers….This is the majority.

    You may get an occasional Shashi Tharoor.

  2. People like Arab Goswami and Navika Kumar for their strong and convincing way of presenting the information to the Audience. Definitely the TRP of Republic TV and Times Now HD are much superior compared to other channels. Actually the viewers of India Today increased this month due to the controversy raised by Mumbai Police Commissioner. Nobody should interfere with the news channels and let the audience decide the TRP.

  3. Hate him or love him, Arnab has the mass following right now. He is right now KING of media world. All the other channels added up has less viewership then Republic. This, he achieved in less than 2 years. Criticizing him or attacking him will only make him more strong and popular- and makes other news anchors/ channels inconsequential.

    • ‘Hate him or love him, Arnab has the mass following right now. He is right now KING of media world.’

      Like Modi said Hindus are the vishwa guru, and the whole world is in awe of Hindus. Hate him or love him, Modi has mass following now, therefore follow him.

      Arnob, Modi and you convince non-Hindu observers that most Hindus are jungli and that is your natural character !

  4. Indians hit the self-destruct button when Hindus voted for Modi and fascism.

    When you choose fascism, it is not just the media that is destroyed – the economy, the minorities and the majority, and the country, also go.

    That was the result in every country where fascists got power – Germany, Yugoslavia…… India will not be different. It is going the same way – as you can see with the media, economy, people and country. Those who support fascism are die hards. As in Nazi Germany, they are unable to pull back, introspect and self correct. The Nazis preferred self-destruction as they had nowhere else to go; the war was lost by 1944 but they kept fighting till 1945 till all their cities were razed to rubble, and millions killed.

    When the Soviet army finally breached the German border and went to capture Konigsberg, the Nazi leaders prevented evacuation of the people, they asked them to stay and fight, be killed, or commit suicide for the Fuhrer – but they themselves escaped from Konigsberg ! Order self destruct for the residents of Konigsberg, and escape for the Nazi rulers. The Soviet army then had no choice but to raze Koningsberg till the Germans had to face reality and surrender.

    The die is cast for India. Hindus voted for self destruction, and the elite supporters have run away to America and they are asking the ones who stayed behind to sacrifice India for their Hindu Fuhrer. We have seen all this before.

  5. Arnab Goswami and his sidekick Pradeep Bhandari had crossed all lines of decency and for too long. His audience are an uneducated lot that believes he’s speaking and fighting for them, he is one of them, their hero. The silent majority have been watching this clown fool his audience give them cheap thrills. A day will come when he will be cornered by the silent majority and silenced. That day is not far from the looks of it. And so be it.

    • You are right. The viewers of R Bharat are half educated. They can’t distinguish between fake and correct news. They seem to like the crude drama Arnab plays on his channel.

  6. You led me in with a headline that promises to explain who is the right and who is wrong in the Republic vs IndiaToday feud, and then you spent 20,000 words to explain why you will not take sides. WTF! Bad enough that your spinelessness made me lose respect for you, what’s worse is you wasted my precious time. Haven’t you read the old adage: Influence is like a savings account, the more you use it, the less you have of it left. Next time you have nothing to say, say nothing.

    • Your absolutely right. Is not you difficult to figure out that those who were making a lot of money during the previous regime are now whining like a swine in heat. Many of these middle men have had to shut shop and haven’t been able to peddle any of their filthy stuff to anyone esp after having roaring sales earlier. Something has to give way. Have you heard something like this somewhere before? Na Khaunga Na Khaane Doonga….V/s TumBhiKhaao aur Hum Bhi Khayenge…

  7. Mr Shekar Gupta should dwell upon, and comment on the means adopted by Maharastra police in taking up Republic TV TRP issue,and not probing India Today and others named by Hansa report.He has conveniently omitted on this matter, as it suits his narrative which is as false and diversionary as many TV channels indulge and he is no different from them.He cannot wear saints clothes and talk as if he is an independent arbitrator and he is very much part of the gutter news media which is also part of gutter politics in the country

  8. To see the many comments on this write up take sides and become the members and voices of Nationals and Anti-Nationals is quite sad because ideally it should not be a discussion on patriotic feelings or being traitors the point here is only how far is too far.

    I am not talking about individuals here no names as you will go back to being the herd of sheep that only follows the assigned direction and crying wolf is like getting all the sheep to huddle and make noises.

    I was quite surprised about the stupid literal translation of mere baap ka kya jaata hai? By the author and more so when I realized that the author is like a senior journalist because it reflects on the quality of journalism here in India. The translation that conveys the idea of the statement is what should have been written. How and why do I bother, it’s not my concern, let it be, I don’t give a shit. The author made apoint to use his stupid translation again means he thinks he did a great job.

    Arnab Goswami, declared priya the murderer of SSR, he dragged names of the Maharashtra and his son into it where the investigation agencies were saying nothing. Republic created an image of priya which could have led to a lynching. How easily ge transitioned into calling Sandeep the one and since has changed to now make the AIIMS Doctor a conspirator.

    The court should have come out with a gag order and banned republic for going on a tangent on the basis of cooked up conspiracy theories. Who is he to question a doctor’s expertise, is he a forensic scientist? I was almost ready to split at the seams laighimh when the BJP hired Mamta Kale was going on about arnab saying you have done very well in investigating this case and I appreciate your efforts to get to the truth.

    Thd other thing wrong was when you put Ravish on the same level as Arnab. Ravish is nothing like arnab, he is an honest man and tells us about the real concerns that matter today. The issues that arnab is trained to help people forget with his antics on Republic TV.

    Was a ram mandir more important than corona? Did you patriots ask Modi why he lied about the Indian and chinese soldiers skirmish that left 20 killed. Why he lied no one crossed the border from either side when theyare still sitting 15km inside our territory?

    The RSS and BJP signed an agreement in 2009, with the Chinese Communist Party and has been sending its cadres, leaders, pracharaks etc to China for a week long training under the Communist party of china. That us why modi canf even take their name. In 2011 gadkari and 4 other BJP MPs went to china to disuss kashmir and north east, when they were in opposition. Discussing kashmir with china??

    Be atleast human enough to see how a poof victim does not get justice because the rapists father is a bjp leader and very close to the UP CM. Look at the crimes in UP which are not mentioned by the glorious fighters for justice. Someone mentioned the sadhus killed by a mob above and probably didn’t follow it to the end.

    Also the so called biggest scams of India which modi lied and exaggerated beyond all limits havd both turned out to be no scams at all and the ministers have been acquitted do they tell you this? The coal scam was no scam at all is what the SC said.

    Thd other thing is that the investigations for both scams were ordered by the upa govt itself. Now we have all the small change coming to modi’s defence when we ask why a plane worth 525
    crores has been bought for Rs1670 crorers each? The honest pm is not willing to show the records, did arnab goswami pick this up? Thiz is a matter of national security which not a single reporter or channel that claim to be nationalists picked up.

    No one asked why he lied about the incident with china. The UP Chief minister first said Congress is trying to incite a caste based riot. There is one family of dalits in that village while allothers are thakurs. Where would the dalits come from for it to be a riot?

    Adityanath should be removed from his pisitoion if the real truth iz to come out because we have seen rape victims being killed in a lot of cases like the sengar case. Here too the cops destroyed rhe evidence as ordered bg the bosses.

    Its a pity that the guys who cant say no to sny order will be made the scapegoats while the real criminals are free. Vikas Dubey was murdered like his accomplice was in faridabad or rohtak ? The inquiry committee has the people suggested by Adityanath on the panel, what do you expect. And the godi media doesnt talk about crime in UP at will as they sag yogi has finished crime in UP

  9. As we understand it have much deeper roots, we all knows it is not a TRP rating war, it is a poisonous conspiracy and war against India to mute Indian nationalism emotions and planning destroy Indian cultural ethics by agents of anti India foreign powers including Don Dadas, corrupt Netas mafia media nexus, corrupt offcials, babus etc. . The N.I.A., and I.B, ,RAW should be bought in to assist CBI immediately to counter measures, investigate and eliminate the Highest risk on national security threat, which is posed and collaborate by mafia based old political Netas, uniformed mafia agents of international terrorism, ISI in India must be highly prioritized to step in by it Top Agencies like NIA and RAW it is most urgent seeing crucial war against CHINA, PAKISTAN and brutal islamic terrorism.

    • You’ve started exactly what should have been said by the rest of the contributors. This is what’s the most important point that we should all be worried about. Unfortunately some are raising irrelevant issues like unemployement, caste, dropping index, and external aggression among other things which are being looked into in the correct perspective by the present time. These require a little time. As not years & years but decades of injustice aided & abetted by the different regimes that were in power have wreaked havoc on the mute majority who were time & again taught to”turn the other cheek”, a clique that worked surprisingly well all this time, but are immidiately dismissed by today’s Hindus who are increasingly adding themselves on discovering themselves and bent on “filling up the action” that they missed all these decades. One don’t need a diploma to figure out that if these have basic issues, some of which are unique to India like case, care based reservation, misled religious issues over proven facts that were not attended to with a determined zeal will keep propping up again & again dissipating much of our time and efforts amongst other things as well.

    • Sadest thing is Republic TV has become BJP paid mouth piece? He is protected by courts also,courtesy BJP. He is a curse to society, as he divides and instigates society? Dangerous trend? To cover up his huge investments in TV ( money-laundering/ havala/ benamis via Dubai UAE), he hugs BJP. Paid man with paid artists is AAnaab?

      • By now it is also obvious on whose side you are on too. But how many Ch have dug so deep as much as Rtv has. Is not nexx to go into details here but it’s far too numerous to account for. Remember in the end what counts is not really the trp, but the public at large. They may belong to any denomination, but when large hoardes of people follow a particular Ch , you have to introspect why they do so. That’s because as a bystander over a period of time it’s fairly easy to judge who are the good & right guys & who are the bad & the wrong guys. Irrespective of the crackers that are going off here and there…

  10. What could else you expect from these media circus, aren”t they part of large of large system which we all belong. It don’t work like play saint in day and become evil in night, when we lose sanity and respect in society it eventually has to happen the chaos and noise, this may be just a start the worse is yet to come.

  11. Trust me…. The heaven will not fall if govt close down all these news channels for a two weeks and allow only DD news to air news… This is the treatment which these channel walllahs deserve the most. Also this is treatment, which we as a viewer also deserves, because it is WE only, who allowed them to sit on our head. A strong and strict lock down on these news channels need to be enforced ruthlessly , to kill the virus , which they are manufacturing in their news room and spreading.

    • Mr. Sp,, I support your views . Your idea of closing down news channels for two weeks is worth giving a try.

      Most of the news channels are spreading misinformation with a greed to influence advertisers as well a the general public.

  12. DON’T DIVERT THE ISSUE SHEKHAR GUPTA.
    WHY HAVEN’T YOU RAISED THE ONLY PERTINENT QUESTION
    1 – WHY DID MUMBAI POLICE STATE REPUBLIC(WHOSE NAME WAS NOT IN FIR) AND SKIPPED INDIA TODAY NAME WHO HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE MANIPULATING TRPS. ITS WELL DOCUMENTED IN HANSA REPORT. THEY ACCEPTED WHEN THEY PAID FINE.

    DON’T DIVERT TOPIC
    2- IS MAHARASHTRA GOVERNMENT DOING DICTATORSHIP (IF BJP GOV WUD B IN. MAHARASHTRA, UR CABAL WUD HV SPREAD THIS BEHAVIOUR IN **GLOBAL MEDIA**

  13. Well written article. However, you seem to be missing the whole point. Media houses are small part of big corporate houses. By showing their solidarity with establishment, they are getting favourable legislations formulated which tantamount to profit. Earning profit is the superstructure in this game, everything else is secondary(even the nationalistic ideology).

    • There is one English news channel I pay to watch. (Banana) Republic is thrown at me free of charge; I won’t look at it even by accident. Same for dozens of others. I choose to watch international channels for their quality:BBC, CNN, DW, AL JAZEERA, RT. Shekhar is part of the gang which uses a lot of words, but at the end he conveys little if anything. We have much more responsible print media in English. I don’t need to name them. Indian TV is mostly for the dumb.

      • I concur with you on who has quality : BBC, CNN, DW, AL JAZEERA, RT.

        Before Republic was launched, Arnob boasted he was creating a channel to be India’s voice abroad, he said it would be better than BBC within 2 years.

        Indian TV is for Hindus.

        • There are so many channels for left, xtian, islam agrnda in India… I dunno what’s the harm having Hindu inclined channels.

          Republic is answer to IndiaTV and NDT V BS.

          BBC is running alarge with vatican xtian agenda, it has lost its credibility decade ago. When UK culture is dying they are mudslinging on India, lol

          • One year before launch of Republic channel, Arnob took out advertisements saying that Indians needed a channel that could send out the Indian perspective, so that India’s image is set by Indians and not the BBC. So Hindus know BBC is the gold standard. The problem is they do not know how to produce quality like the BBC. What Arnob created projects Hindus as junglis who cannot even debate !

  14. Deal with it
    High TRPs
    Competition , being consumer centric , market forces etc etc .ECONOMICS
    Ummm …incase traditional media folks have forgotten .

    Instead of trying to drive public opinion now with really unintelligent articles .. ..puhleaze learn ,adapt ,change ….the public opinion ship has already sailed guys …u will probably have to follow public opinion now , not vice versa .

    The Print has some potential ..don’t destroy it completely

  15. Times of media creating narrative is slowly fading .. Ppl have become intelligent to see who is lying.. This witchhuntinh Republic by Maharashtra police and SS has clearly set an example and a way for future govt to do the same with other media houses.. Yes selfdustruction started the day when congress n ncp colluded with SS .. There is no undo button here.. The day BJP comes back it will do the same n u can’t object as u have shown the way..

  16. Shekahriji, where were you all these days. I come from an era where People like the late Ramnathji were responsible for the news.

    Everyone has a choice to watch what suits them. Arnab’s, is one of the reporters that has brought many frauds and crimes in The public domain. Why the cover up now, by guys like you? Most of you Were fence Sitters Scurrying for favours from the political masters . Did you ever speak about ndtv’s Financial issues . You as a senior among many should have exposed the truth.
    Arnab probably knows the skeletons of many of the news barons and hence they hate him out of fear. Yes his style might not Suit many but you as a viewer has a choice. Do not watch him! This TRP fraud is created by guys who are jealous of him. Also what has a cop to do with TRP ratings. You head the Press council, if am right, why did you not investigate and put it honestly and correctly in the public domain. Stop being Preachy And get down to the truth and reality. Yes the media will self destruct for sure especially so when you takeS dole from powers that be in, many forms.
    Finally what has both Rahul and Priyanka done for India dor the media to project them. You might conclude that am against them. No, the truth lies in the answer to my question.

  17. Everyone knows about Shekhar Gupta and which school of taught he comes from. These are the same people who along with NDTV were following orders from Congress and are part of the Lutyens media along with Rajdeep Sardesai, who are all now getting united to save their own interests.. they just cannot see Republic gaining popularity…as they are only interested in boot licking and not on real news… pseudo journalists

    • Modi with his own stature recognised in a Parliamentary Democracy has been wary of hobnobbing with journos with parasite mentality enjoying impeccable financial invincibility TRP or no TRP. It is causing heartburns for such self declared experts when Arnab challenges them on their secular turf with most of the time supporting the current regime logically.

  18. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Media channels have become mouthpieces of politicians and common man a mute spectator and a pawn who is used to manipulate their interests. It’s sickening to see the power tussle. There is no fair piece of journalism today. You are simply with them or against them. There is no objective assessment. Rot starts when jingoistic rhetoric is constantly bombarded to effectively do big data management. There is a proliferation of you tube journalism almost akin to extortion. There should be a regulator free and powerful and with integrity with judiciary. We need someone like T N Sheshan here to cleanse the murky waters

  19. What I like more than the article the comments. About ethics or credibility. It is not there in journalism like in any other procession. There were black ships in all professions then and now also. Difference now it is more. Most have become cronies with arrogance and selfishness. When they receive money or support, they have to dance to the tunes of the giver as there is a commitment towards the giver.

  20. As a senior citizens..i wish to ask every channel.. why they have been labelled as Godi media channels and only few as indipendent ones left..i hate to watch sarcastic debates by 20 people sitting and only few selectively are brought into debate by choice of anchor.. there should be a limit of just 4-5 genuine experts .. not selective ones like by choice Imran Khan..and this dog fights and shouting over one another should be stopped and maintain dignity… let the people decided and make their choice to whom to watch.. STOP ALL THESE DRAMAS started only by few channels on grabbing TRP rating.. you all are not trying to pull the rope of TRP .. factually you all are holding the tail of a poisonous snake !!

  21. When any “order of society ” is questioned, confusion rises….it subsides only when equiliSame is the case with media now….till now only congress ruled country….media is tuned to appease congress….now power has cha e for

  22. All problems will diminish if these media barrons specially with a sort of a non Indian or western outlook change. Having degrees from LondonSchool of Economis or Harvard or Oxford are no guarantee of a success unless it is matched with working for the interest of the country, people & society as a whole. A continuous criticism of Govt. or BJP or Modi or Hinduism or Hindu nation, religion or Hindu saints just shows how far away these London School of Economic barrons or Oxfordites or Harwardites are sitting from reality. It is new & emerging India today so let it be. There may be a Patliputra or Nalanda here one day more shining than Harvard or Oxford. So let it be. Let the transformation of new India take place, don’t criticise it. Respect new India & culture. If this happens more than 1/2 of the problems will be over.

  23. I support Republic. Why this Print and other Anti national media not questioning the Rajasthan government. Where the priest was set on Fire just coz he was Hindu.

    Reason is simple it is Congress ruled state .why R.G and P.V are not protesting in Rajasthan. Why media houses are silent.

    Republic try to question the Maharashtra government for killing of Sadhus. We all know what happened.

    After realizing how theses anti Hindu media houses work to defame Hindus I stopped watching and reading their Newspaper as well.

    So The Print don’t declare yourself the best.

  24. For all the things you’ve written and correctly so, I believe the first few lines where you said , no one’s going to change their allegiance, is the real issue. News channels have rigged people’s minds, stripped them away from critical thinking. As a result, people can’t question the government neither can they stand anything against the government and others while fighting a devil, decided to become a devil. My only worry is, with every passing day, we’re getting close to the death of our democracy.

  25. It doesn’t appeal from the mouth of a boot leaker anti india agenda running agent u r time and again exposed worst in case of S C judges press conference only act when there is anti national activity is coming up

  26. Shekhar Gupta says, presumably with a straight face — “Arnab divides”. Really?
    The likes of Shekhar Gupta , honorary member of Lutyens mafia and humble disciple of Saint Sonia (remember the Padma Bhushan), NDTV, Barkha Dutt, Rajdeep Sardesai, et al — they have all spouted so much lies and damned lies and hatred for the majority of this country, that the people of India got so fed up and gave two thumping majorities to the very people these leftist, pseudo liberal mafia hacks hated — and hate — so much.
    Arnab: MORE POWER TO YOU!
    And pray what is this minority govt in Maharashtra — which stole an election — playing such petty politics?

    • Pray may your tribe increase. I hope many other fence sitters wake up, jump in & agree with you. It’s about time they do. Because of you play dumb you n me and everyone else will have to perpetually stay dumb all along all the way….

  27. Even if the media regulates itself or is regulated by the government, it will be inconsequential now. The reason being that social news consumption is going to make TV news irrelevant in few years.
    Secondly, the “most powerful government in 40 years” has already iron fist control on Media so they have nothing to gain by regulating media and becoming a bad boy, so they will let this circus run as it is.
    And lastly, if Shekhar Gupta was not sleeping in a cave all these years, then he should have seen this coming. The media let the citizens fight citizens for these years, now don’t expect any savior when the same masters let channel fight channel. Shekhar should have counseled his younger brethren in industry that they are all going on a path of no return. Or is it existential crisis that has now shaken his conscience up? Too late.

  28. I think all news channel must ask a question to themselves. What is their objective? Like bankers, they provide money related services, blacksmiths give metal or some tools for use or potter gives pots to use. News Channel, what they give? Only entertainment. When you yourself are confused about your objective from the activities you are doing, we as viewer are at no risk of loosing. Absolute useless article! Nobody saves nobody. Every powerful crushes weaker. So news channels are going through their own friction and new breed will be born. Thats history! No business or entertainment or activity remains constant. So why care so much?

  29. The media can function effectively, if and only if, the media is outside the tutelage of the State. A media that would be guided by the State, would be rewarded by the State with prizes, and the media personnel would unwittingly or otherwise compromise their integrity, and thus would remain forever a part of the intellectual apparatus of the State.. This is what the media should never do – seek the tutelage of the establishment.

  30. Why are you repeatedly using Hindi? To watch you publishing Hinglish and it’s meaning in English make this looks like I signed up for some Hindi coaching class!

    Isn’t this still an English publication? Correct me if I’m mistaken

  31. The ganging up of media against Republic can be clearly seen. I may not like Republic’s journalism but that doesn’t give right to any media to tarnish its image without verifying the claims. They are quick to say Republic rigged the TRP ratings but none of them question India Today when it’s the one who is mentioned in the FIR. This shows the level of journalism today that want to peddle their own stories than investigating facts

    • This is not TRP rating war, it is a war against India by agents of foreign powers in the media ,babus etc. . The I.B, ,RAW should be bought in to assist CBI immediately to investigate the national security threat, which is posed by agents of ISI in India-it is urgent

  32. Mr.Shekhar Gupta ,you are not qualified and eligible to write anything about Republic TV on this TRP issue. What moral justification you have considering your journalistic journey ? .Do you think by writing this you and your thus “The Print ” will be seen by readers as a most balanced and sane entities? Forget . Todays readers are highly informed and discerning in making their judgement

  33. This looks like a godsend opportunity to get back at mainstream media…..Pappu and his ilk can use media to hurl any abuses at the MOST POPULAR and PERFORMING PM, and that’s acceptable…..Shaheen Bagh and Delhi roads being blocked is acceptable and media criticism of those are now the excuse to hit out at them…..Wake up Print, the readers are not Pappus.

  34. As an old man of 70 years , I would prefer to go back in time & read news papers or magazines rather than watching these ‘Advertising ‘ ( not news ) channels. With the addition of the fighting among themselves, they have achieved their lowest levels.

  35. Don’t cry on Arnab and his republic tv.
    He is one of the best journalists in India .
    He is nationalist.

    You guys can’t digest rightist ideology .
    We all Indians are aware of Your source of Funds and your crocodile tears.
    Journalism is crying because of fake journalists like you .

  36. I feel this is a dishonest view. Reality of loss of profit has hit hence this article comes across as ‘let’s settle within us’.
    However this dishonesty has continued for too long hence destruction is imminent.
    Coming to Arnab…. You can hate him but there is no other to match him in the country who holds sway over what news people will consume.

    • Please feel free to ‘judge yourself hatshly’. Not doing so is what has led to this situation. You are sounding like a certain recent ungentlemanly chief justice who saw conspiracy and needed to hush up matters for the ‘sake of the institution’. We do not need such institutions or sacred cows. Let these vestiges of slimeball journalists and their patrons of various ilks be exposed and ridiculed – the public interest shall be well served.

  37. I don’t even consider Arnab a news reporter. I consider him propaganda officer of BJP. I understand most news channel lean towards a particular political party. But Arnab practically has BJP tattoed on his heart. I have never seen him criticize BJP for anything ever since he started Republic. He is like Saamna of BJP.

    • An opinion free of any biasness deserves credits on Arnab Goswami and you have read my my mind. A. G. is made by the BJP, for the BJP and (he) is one of the BJP for sure.

  38. Mumbai police cannot catch Mafias goons, drug peddlers, murderers, rapists nor have the capacity to carry out a proper investigation yet now they are out to frame media houses, how ridiculous can they be?

  39. For a change, some so called ‘eminent’ journalists have been called out. Shekhar has started a conversation and we can only hope the level heads will get together and put in place corrective measures where journalism is not opinionated but based on facts, intellectual insights and research.
    Unfortunately all top channels have compromised themselves pushing biased views. Centrist, rationale, factual views have disappeared in this great debate.

  40. Shekar Guptaji should stop calling them as commando comics as a first step. and it is simply degrading the viewers .I watch SG The Print youtube channel, Republic and India Today and try to make my own understanding of where the truth is. As a reader I had challenges is knowing who tells the truth for the following reason. Pelhar, so many rapes in Rajasthan , west bengal attrocities, Kerala Attrocities of hindus= Only Arnab stands up. Others are mute spectator. The Hindu newspaper publishes chinese version. To know about what is happening in BJP states I watch India today and NDTV where they make outrages claims of cruelity but we can see the truth. The reset button was set when you stopped neutral as a media and it is sad reflection 90% trust PM Modi and 5% news media.

    • You are perfectly correct. The trouble with many self appointed secular guardians of society is that the believe what had happened till the Bjp sat on the”wheel*” so to speak was perfectly correct. It’s perfectly correct to say that proven past history of “singular” not secular Hindi India which was was a vast expanse of peaceful kingdoms bound together was virtually raped, murdered and dismembered (pun intentionally implied here) both by area as well as by its riches. It’s magnificent temples and it’s a culture smashed and replaced much against its will by maruding invaders wading and walking in without so much as asking “May I come in please” foisting down or throat their their own new unfamiliar culture & religions, spreading rapid unrest and injustice throughout what quad let of the Indian nation at large. Matters took a turn for the deep end before sanity ruled after declaring independence. Her too the constitution which was supposed to be a noble document was honoured up rather hastily with the nation once again lopped at two ends of not three with the unnecessary meddling of JN both here as well as at three UN. The final significant crime was although it was empirically agreed that Muslims will be given 2 parts of India as Pak, and Hindus given whatevers left for them to live”peacefully” ever after never really became true at all. Infact this was the ultimate lemon that was given, because only a few Hindu fools were left in Pak that were quickly converted to Muslims and the so called minority Muslims remaining in India never bought the story that Jinna&Nehru Peddeled and stayed put only to wreak further pain and havoc by propelling their dramatically different religion and alien culture on the remaining population.(See what happened to ShahBano,s Judgement@the Sc) It should be factored that the matter will not take anything for granted as matters have gone too far ahead and none are prepared to turn the other cheek as instructed usually from father to son all this time. It isn’t wise to twist a friendly, lineant and a tolerent Hindu anymore. They were listening to you all this time. It,s now time to listen to the majority now.

      • ‘It isn’t wise to twist a friendly, lineant and a tolerent Hindu anymore. They were listening to you all this time. It,s now time to listen to the majority now.’

        The friendly, lenient, tolerant Suvarna that rapes and murders the Dalits. That is not a very wise thing to do – that is why so many converted – and will convert in future !

        Who told you suvarnas are the majority ?

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