If you go by television news coverage of the West Bengal assembly election, the surprise will be if the Bharatiya Janata Party loses, not if it wins.
As television sees it, Mamata Banerjee, the ‘tigress’ of the state, is being hunted down like a hapless deer by a fierce, relentless BJP pack led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At least one of Bengal’s many news channels, Priyobandhu TV, has already predicted a comfortable BJP victory in its ‘Mission 200’ quest for power in the state.
On Monday, Arnab Goswami on Republic TV declared “(There’s) no doubt that the BJP has put everything into the poll…”. Significantly, he added that a loss in Bengal will be as “devastating” for the BJP as the ruling Trinamool Congress. For, such has been the BJP’s onslaught duly recorded on extensive news coverage of its campaign, that it has emerged the front-runner with Mamata lagging behind as the underdog.
Also read: I worry about 2021 Bengal election. You should too: Yogendra Yadav
A spike in TV interest
For those of us watching the drama unfold on the daily soap opera — let’s call it ‘Poritborton’ — it’s Modi’s election to lose, not Mamata’s.
If BJP is the favourite to win the polls, television news must share some of the credit for it. It has been there, faithfully covering its campaign and highlighting alleged poll violence by the TMC, or more recently, the accusation of corruption in Mamata’s family.
The TMC and Mamata Banerjee do receive coverage— “Mamata versus BJP gets fierce” (CNN News18), “TMC cries vendetta” (Zee New) — but it’s just not in the same league.
Since December 2020, news channels have covered the visits of BJP leaders like party president J.P. Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the state, with live coverage of their speeches and yatras, the party’s ‘poriborton’ rallies, the TMC’s alleged violent reactions to these — as well as the PM’s virtual addresses on occasions like the centenary celebrations of Visva Bharati University in Santiniketan.
In the last month, not a day has gone by without Bengal making news on several news channels. A fortnight ago, channels like CNN News18 were already calling the elections for the party: “Advantage BJP- TMC already admitted defeat?” was a headline after a TMC leader reportedly asked for Congress and Left support.
For the past one week, the campaign in West Bengal often stole the headlines and most of the coverage. Since Sunday there has been carpet coverage — first, it was “Violence at BJP Poriborton Yatra” (ABP) in “Battleground Bengal” (Republic TV); then it was BJP’s challenge to Mamata to stand from only Nandigram (CNN News18). This was followed by “Mamata family on CBI radar’’ (Mirror Now) after news first broke of the Central Bureau of Investigation’s summons to the wife and sister-in-law of Abishek Banerjee, TMC MP and Mamata Di’s nephew, in an alleged coal scam case.
The latter continued on Monday and even into Tuesday, dominating news and debates — “Blame game” between TMC and BJP (Times Now), “CBI heat on Didi’s nephew (India Today), “Bengal Pressure Cooker” (NDTV India). There were even in-depth shows on subjects like “Troubled past of Rujira, Abhishek’s wife”, and stories that she was a Thai national (India Today).
The coverage reached absurd levels Tuesday morning, with reporters outside Abhishek Banerjee’s home excitedly reporting on Mamata Banerjee’s visit there exactly “8 minutes ahead of CBI’s arrival’’ (Times Now), the CBI’s entry into the Banerjee home, and its exit after “1 hour and 30 minutes” of questioning (CNN News 18).
We were informed of the minutest details — six CBI officers, two women officers who left the house at 1.15 pm — “the examination is over,” said Times Now, “but we don’t know, is it over for the day? Or will they come back after lunch…”. Huh?
All this halla bol when a Times Now reporter was the first to admit that neither Abhishek’s wife Rujira Narula or her sister Menaka Gambhir were accused of anything — they were, at this stage, only “witnesses’’. Nevertheless, the BJP and the news channels put “Didi’s family in the dock” (CNN News18).
Monday was also filled with the PM’s visit to Bengal and his speech in Hooghly — it was “Modi v/s Mamata” (Republic), “Modi wave” (India TV), “Poriborton war cry” in “Sonar Bangla” (India Today).
Also read: This is how BJP plans to highlight Mamata’s failures & showcase its ideas for a ‘Sonar Bangla’
Everything to lose
Just how important this election appears to be to the BJP is evident from the coverage of the Bengal polls on Hindi news channels, which has been almost as substantial as that on English channels. In the past, elections in non-Hindi states were reported in passing. Even on this occasion, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, where elections are also due, have been of marginal interest, noted only when the senior-most BJP leaders visit—Modi in Assam, J.P. Nadda Tamil Nadu.
However, all the top Hindi news channels have displayed a keen interest in Bengal during the last few months, be it the “Koyla kaand” (News18 India), “Didi’s fear factor” (India TV), “Bangal mein Bawaal — Investigation could lead to Mamata” (Aaj Tak). “This is like a film,’’ said Zee News on ‘Battle of Bengal’, “it has actors, drama, violence, conspiracy…”.
Zee News also set about ‘exposing’ the situation in the state. It visited nooks and crannies of Kolkata where it found the poor sleeping out in the open— “Is this image of Bengal?” asked its reporter.
All this even before polling dates have been announced – then, it will be 24×7 Bengal — no wonder Republic TV has chosen to launch its new Bengali channel right now.
Views are personal.
Mamta Bandhopadhay tigress? She is more like a snake.
If sold media had a face.
With so many Bangladesi voting for TMC…… there is no way she will lose this election… BJP is living in fool’s paradise
It’s sure bengal election results will repeat Delhi . Where godimedia has got huge slap.
The Print an antiBJP Channel always sides with
antinationals
The Print an antyBJP Channel
BJP with money power and deployment of all leaders from all states will be crushed in bengal. Fight will be between tmc and left Congress alliance with BJP retaining comfortable third position. By sidelining their own hard working party workers and allowing tainted leaders of tmc they have dug their own grave. When p. M and hm come regularly people will think they have some ulterior motive. With rising gas and petrol price BJP will be able to gi no where. The thrashing of BJP at delhi where BJP drummed that they will get 50 seats ended in 8 seats. 200 target will actually translate into max 35 seats. BJP better luck next time.
BJP with money power and deployment of all leaders from all states will be crushed in bengal. Fight will be between tmc and left Congress alliance with BJP retaining comfortable third position. By sidelining their own hard working party workers and allowing tainted leaders of tmc they have dug their own grave. When p. M and hm come regularly people will think they have some ulterior motive. With rising gas and petrol price BJP will be able to gi no where. The thrashing of BJP at delhi where BJP drummed that they will get 50 seats ended in 8 seats. 200 target will actually translate into max 35 seats. BJP better luck next time.
CNN IBN and India Today are heavily biased towards BJP. The Both media Houses have a lot to gain by siding with the ruling party. NDTV questions everything the ruling party does because the oddities are too many to ignore. India Ahead is following the same route but is too small. The rest of the English channels are too shrill or so biased that they as well might say, BJP is always right.
“Rent a journalist ” masquerading as independent voices are having a meltdown as social media is challenging their fake narrative.
THE van only remember good old days where they use to get paid heavily for anti HINDU rhetoric.
Bjp must win,defeat of tmc is dead sure
The print will always oppose bjp
That is bop and the Hindutva movement in general attitude for every election lol you do realize that they fight every election like it is their last they fight every election like their party survival depends on it (even if it really does not) that is why they keep winning and expanding their presence in so many states. NDA went from 6 percent vote share in 2011 to 16 in 2019 in Kerala. 7 percent vote share to 20 percent in Telangana and 21 percent 2014 gen to 38 percent in Odisha 2019 gen, 17 percent 2014 gen to 40.7 percent 2019 gen in West Bengal and not to mention their complete sweep of northeast from congress bastion to congress mukt since 2014. You call yourself a political analyst but after so many elections you still cannot understand the mindset of the largest party in india, you mistake a winning culture for fear of losing.
Let Mamata Begum & Jihadis be history!!
This is a shameless, faceless piece of propaganda by a Hindi speaking Reporter who like her fellow outsiders in WB are waiting to further LOOT Bengal if Modi wins by hook or by crook. That is NOT going to happen. After the election the bonafide Bengalis are going to eradicate these backward caste Hindu Hindi speakers from their State.
The National News Propaganda channels which have been successfully managed by Modi govt have very little impact on West Bengal voters mind..it is Bengali local channels like ABP ANANDA , 24 GHANTA,ETC matters most which BJP could not manage that way. BJP will for sure get a good shock in this election..! A good share of their LS votes will be diverted to Left-Congress alliance which will in turn benefit Didi. Mark my words.
Yes, Bong news channels matter more than zee, aajtak and so on……..