This is the way the campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections ends — not with a whimper but in heat and dust.
And as the temperature touches 50 degrees Celsius in many parts of the country, politicians approach the finishing line, gasping for breath, and grasping for the last millions of votes in 57 constituencies where polling takes place on Saturday, 1 June.
By the time you read the next Tele-scope, the political parties will have received the people’s verdict and we will have elected a new government. And what of the media? How are we to judge its role in these elections?
For a media columnist, the television news coverage of the campaign over the last few months has been instructive. As the main conveyor belt of the electoral process, it has played a significant role in shaping the narrative and public opinion. Several aspects of its content stand out: one, television news has reaffirmed its faith in the leadership of Narendra Modi with a definite slant in its coverage.
Two, the PM has opened himself up to the media in a way he hasn’t before; no one can accuse him of avoiding the media, this time. However, main opposition leaders like Congress’s Rahul Gandhi and TMC’s Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal Chief Minister) haven’t been seen in interviews on mainstream English or Hindi news channels – surely, they were asked?
Three, reporting from across the country, correspondents have conveyed public sentiment that isn’t one-sided. On the ground, the ‘Mahabharat’ seems to be a real contest between the BJP and the Opposition; in most TV news studios, it’s whether BJP will achieve ‘400 paar’ or not.
Also read: Both Modi and Priyanka Gandhi are now on TV—only one of them is asked follow-up questions
TV news’ favourite PM
It doesn’t take any particular genius to see this: over the last 10 years of PM Modi’s government, TV news has been (justifiably) accused of sitting in Modi’s corner – and doing all it can to amplify his or the BJP’s viewpoint.
Just this week, channels like India TV ratcheted up the PM’s accusations that Congress and its INDIA allies harbour ‘Pakistan prem’ and have a ‘Khan Market plan’ whereby they would snatch away reservations from SC/ST/OBC communities and distribute them among Muslims.
From Varanasi, Times Now anchor Navika Kumar singled out the Opposition for its ‘gaalis’ against the PM – going back to 2007 to unearth Sonia Gandhi’s ‘maut ka saudagar’ remark. Kumar spoke of “the wrath” and “the rage of the Opposition”, their targeting the PM and how Modi has “crushed” them with his “gaali proof’ demeanour.
As a leading English news channel, Times Now promotes itself by saying, ‘The channel PM Modi trusts’.
Speeches by PM Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were the news highlights of Tuesday—as they have been throughout the campaign. We often listen to these leaders ‘live’, the PM in particular—even on DD News—but the opposition simply gets a headline or a brief speech extract.
Just this week, there have been at least two more TV interviews with PM Modi—on Hindi channels ABP News and News Nation. In the News Nation interaction, one of the channel’s editors compliments PM Modi for being so different from his predecessors. “We’ve never seen a prime minister like this before…” He exclaims “Wah, wah, kya baat hai!” when the PM recites some poetic lines. You have to marvel at his willingness to be so open about his allegiance to the PM.
In the ABP News interview, one anchor introduces Modi as the man without whom you could not even dream of a ‘Viksit Bharat’.
Perhaps, this is the way news channels express their gratitude to the PM for giving them an interview. And indeed, the PM has been generous in this respect. One calculation suggests he has given “nearly 80 interviews across TV and print media” this poll season—that must be a new record.
Also read: From roadshows to studio shows, Modi ‘interviews’ are everywhere—what has changed?
Following Modi everywhere
The Opposition has a visceral dislike for TV news channels because of the latter’s bias toward Modi and the BJP. The only leader seen widely across channels was Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been interviewed often since he got bail on 10 May. RJD leader and former Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav has been noticed by TV news and interviewed briefly. But opposition campaign rallies haven’t received much coverage.
Where TV news has scored is with their ground reports. On both Hindi and English channels, reporters have struck a balance in representing viewpoints across the political landscape. They speak to supporters, candidates, and local leaders of all parties, and discover successes and failures along the way. They have picked up distress, unemployment, underdevelopment, etc., in almost every state, irrespective of whether it is governed by the BJP or not.
One interesting byproduct of TV news following in PM Modi’s footsteps has been increased attention to the southern states. Politics in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana, besides Karnataka where the BJP has been in power, has become popular on English – and to a certain extent Hindi – news TV. Now that the PM is planning to visit Kanniyakumari from today (30 May), these channels will be sunning themselves there too.
At the end of probably the hottest campaign in Lok Sabha history, this has been Modi’s election on TV – with the interviews, coverage of his rallies and speeches. Whether this media overexposure will help his fortunes at the elections, we will know next week. For the news channels, well, clearly they anticipate a comfortable BJP victory.
The author tweets @shailajabajpai. Views are personal.
(Edited by Prashant)
The Print pork channel Pork brothers as Varaha Bhiya Pork call themselves as Prophatic COVID diseased non viable creatures called ,Jiva, as dead in M dharma Raj that Socrates as dead or alive.
Surely a better accolade would be, The channel viewers trust.
Tilt hone m or sari journalism chorkar sirf ek party ka chatukarita karna, itna ki usk spokersperson bhi sarma jaye, nafrat failana etc aaj kl ka tvnews ka haal h. Afsos ye h ki bhut logo ko ab bhi ye baat nhi pata.
Thoda Bias ya tilt hr channelo ka hota h lekin aaj mahaul talwa chatne pr aa chuka h, propaganda se kahi upar.
More than 10 years, those with burns at wrong places only see last 10 years. Many in the media who were in the fixing business (remember Neera Radia tapes?), who lost their access to corridors of power feel the pain more than others. Also, the free Scotch available before, stopped flowing, multiplying the pain.
Likewise, NDTV was Congress TV during UPA rule.