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Nation saw Arnab Goswami apologise & Modi skip interview with faithful DD News this week

Why Modi needs such TV exposure when this week’s opinion polls on Times Now, NewsX and Tiranga TV give him a comfortable win in elections, only he can tell.

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Rahul Gandhi’s cavalcade, bedecked in flowers and people, inched along Amethi’s Gauriganj as the sun beat down pitilessly midday Wednesday. His sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and her husband Robert Vadra flanked him, their children by the side.

At that precise moment, BJP’s Prakash Javadekar, cool as a cucumber, welcomed Kirori Singh Bainsla, who led Rajasthan’s Gujjar quota agitation, with open arms into the party. Bainsla joined the BJP along with his son Vijay.

Which event did news channels cover?

Most private news channels braved the heat and dust of Amethi: “Very impressive crowds for Rahul Gandhi”, observed Times Now. “Massive road show”, agreed Mirror Now. “Vadra campaign”, commented Republic TV, nastily.


Also read: NaMo TV – the confused channel orphaned by I&B ministry and DTH operators


Republic TV | Screengrab

DD News chose the comfort of the BJP’s office and its embrace of the Bainslas. When it did get to Amethi, it showed Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Sonia Gandhi with their backs to the camera, presumably capturing him filing his nomination papers.

At approximately 2.15 pm, Wednesday, came news that Modi’s biopic had been ‘banned’ (India Today) by the Election Commission for the duration of the polls.

DD News was in the northeast checking out “all arrangements in place for the first phase of polls” — something it had been doing, off and on since noon. It proceeded to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s blog comment, slamming the Congress party for questioning the income tax raids in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, with counter remark that “legitimate action against corruption is not political vendetta”. DD’s next stop was Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik’s departure to NIA custody till April 22, after a Delhi court order.

And only then did DD News put out the EC’s action against Vivek Oberoi-starrer PM Narendra Modi – a good 15 minutes after the others — with the anchor saying the film had been “stalled’’ — a verb used by Republic TV, CNN News18 as well as All India Radio, by the way (does that tell you something about these channels?).

This follows the EC’s warning to DD News, Tuesday, asking it to ‘desist’ from preferential or disproportionate coverage “in favour of any party” — which was in response to DD News’ admission that the BJP had received much more news coverage than the Congress or any other party since the schedule for the Lok Sabha election was announced on March 10.


Also read: DD News shot PM Modi’s Mission Shakti speech — but without logo


DD News’ frankness may be surprising for a government-funded agency but it couldn’t have been otherwise: over the past five years, DD News has run a daily Modi biopic, which catalogued everything the PM said and did. When he said and did nothing, the supporting cast of other central ministers, BJP leaders like president Amit Shah, got screen time. The opposition was conspicuous by its absence; as and when it made a cameo appearance, it was in the BJP’s attacks on it, more often than not.

So, why did the Prime Minister need NaMo TV — now described as a cross between an advertisement platform and a special service by I&B and Tata Sky – when he had DD News at his beck and call – as well as many private news channels which believe it to be their patriotic duty to support him? Was it really worth the risk of earning the EC’s notice for Modi?

By the way, NaMo TV teaches you ‘Yoga with Modi’ and DD News doesn’t. In a graphic series straight from 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, a slim-trim ‘Modi’ takes you through his asanas, slowly but firmly.

NaMo TV | Screengrab

Significantly, the PM snubs the ever-faithful DD when it comes to interviews. This week, ABP News (Sunday) and NCNN News18 (Tuesday) hosted Modi for his third TV outing in two weeks — unprecedented for the TV-shy PM. Rahul Gandhi calls these interviews “staged” and for all the efforts by TV news anchors, the air time is spent by the PM turning every question into a chance to attack his opponents.

Incidentally, CNN News 18 on Tuesday discussed the PM’s replies to anchor Rahul Joshi’s questions even before the interview was telecast that evening — a novel way to boost viewership.

Why Modi needs such TV exposure when this week’s opinion polls on Times Now, NewsX and Tiranga TV give him a comfortable win in the Lok Sabha elections, only he can tell.

Meanwhile, the TV news studio witnesses what it has not seen before.

On News24, Congress’ Alok Sharma flung a glass of water at BJP’s KK Sharma – it shattered – because Congress’ Sharma alleged that BJP’s Sharma had repeatedly called him ‘gaddar’ (traitor). Anchor Sandeep Choudhary, very wet but otherwise calm, asked both to apologise but there was absolute mayhem as the Sharmas flung accusations at each other – maybe there were no more glasses of water to be flung?

Republic Bharat’s debate Sunday on asking for votes on the basis of religion, had anchor Arnab Goswami apologise for something he didn’t say. Now, there is a great deal of offensive language that Goswami should be sorry for but this is possibly the first time he has been contrite on behalf of a panellist who used abusive language against another.


Also read: No matter what we think of Arnab Goswami, we must defend his right to do his job


Republic Bharat | Screengrab

None of this was actually intelligible since it is a custom, nowadays, on many news channels, especially Republic TV and Republic Bharat, for panellists to scream until their lungs hang out. This is encouraged by benevolent anchors, including Goswami, who sit back and allow them to develop laryngitis. Wouldn’t be surprised if panellists have been promised that the more they yell, the louder they screech, the more they will earn for appearing on the show.

The strategy? To drown out any coherent speech or logical debate, create chaos with raised voices, insulting behaviour and, on occasion, fisticuffs.

That’s news entertainment for you.

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10 COMMENTS

  1. This reads like meta analysis of other news reporters. Such a biased write up, even a 5th grader student will write a better essay. Don’t be a copy cat. If you really are so intellectually sound, please write in general instead of reporting what other channels are doing.

  2. There is only one way to control the unruly panelist……mute their microphone as soon as their time runs out. Another possible thing the channels could introduce prize for the will behaved panelist. There has to be civilized live discussions on all the Indian TV Channels.

  3. It is very sad to have such a indecent panel discussion almost in all channels with loud voices as if you are discussing in an local ada.
    It shows how we are are handling important national issues like a indisciplined arrogant youngsters. Better to swap channel for wild life.
    .

  4. Extremely biased article. I was expecting this kind of response since The Republic made the expose of one of yours, who’s name has Come in the chargesheet filed By ED in the Augusta Westland scam.
    Shame on you guys for supporting a family, ruling a party, who has been involved with nothing other than scandals year after year.

    Shame on you guys for trying to influence the people by showing fake news, and projecting lies as truths.

    Shame on you

  5. Well, the good news is that you won’t have to wait long before realization sets in that this country has gone well past the addictive somnolence of living in the shade of the benevolent images of members of the Gandhi family peering at the benighted masses, from atop billboards, hoardings,glimmering through the soft blue filtered reflections from television screens in communal hubs, across the length and breadth of the Country. That even the docile Dr Singh had an air of quite competence contrasts starkly with the current crop of the Gandhi family, the worst ever comically pitted against the most impressive opponent ever to challenge the institutionalized hallsways of Indian politics and in equal measure to spurn the privileged class of intellectuals and newspapermen that has informed the corridors of power since independence struck.
    The virulent hatred, the sheer wrath, the throes of revulsion and finally the resorting to every dirty trick by this brigade of brown sahibs is perfectly understandable.
    The good thing is that the wait is not going to be long.

  6. Of course, media in India are biased, pro congressi. They never show what good BJP has done or doing, but they cry 2000 times what pappu says once against BJP. Shameful.

  7. Your write up is so so biased and petty that it doesn’t even deserve a comment. It reeks of a burn when you feel that all that you nurtured all these years is about to be decimated. It shows your single minded devotion for the parivar. Go get a life and think where the mind is without fear and free.

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