When Media Stops Reporting and Starts Repeating Power
When Media Stops Reporting and Starts
Repeating Power
For several years now, many
citizens and opposition leaders in India have referred to sections of
commercial television media as “Godi Media.” The phrase reflects a
growing belief that some news channels have drifted away from independent
journalism and become comfortable repeating the narratives of those in power.
Being in India right now has
helped me understand why that perception exists.
The role of the media in any
democracy is clear. Journalists are expected to investigate facts, verify
information, and present it honestly to the public. Media institutions exist to
question power, not to echo it. Their responsibility is to test official claims
against reality.
But when the media stops
reporting and begins repeating power, the distance between televised narratives
and everyday life becomes impossible to ignore.
The world is currently watching
an escalating confrontation involving Israel and Iran, with the United States
increasingly drawn into the conflict. India has maintained a diplomatic
position broadly aligned with Israel and Western policy. International conflicts
rarely stay confined to the battlefield. They ripple through global trade
routes, supply chains, and energy networks that eventually affect ordinary
citizens thousands of miles away.
In recent weeks, disruptions
connected to these tensions appear to be affecting regional fuel movement. When
supply routes tighten, the consequences travel far beyond the countries
directly involved.
Yet some television broadcasts
insist that everything remains normal.
During a program hosted by Chitra
Tripathi, viewers were told that there is no shortage of cooking gas in India
and that supply remains stable. What I have personally seen outside the studio
suggests a different reality. Over the past several days I have personally
witnessed long lines of people waiting to purchase LPG cylinders. These were
not the usual quick delivery queues. People stood patiently outside
distribution points hoping that supplies would last long enough for their turn.
Conversations among those waiting
reflected uncertainty. Many people were unsure when the next supply would
arrive or whether prices would remain stable.
Whenever supply becomes
uncertain, another pattern usually follows hoarding. There are increasing
stories of LPG cylinders being purchased and stored by individuals who later
sell them at sharply inflated prices once demand becomes desperate.
This is where the gap between
policy announcements and real life begins to show.
The government led by Narendra
Modi often highlights the expansion of LPG connections across the country as a
major achievement. Millions of households have indeed received LPG cylinders
under government schemes. In principle, this is a positive step. LPG burns
cleaner than traditional fuels and reduces indoor pollution that affects
millions of families.
But a cylinder is useful only if
it can be filled. Providing LPG connections without ensuring stable and
affordable supply turns a solution into a promise that people cannot fully use.
When supply becomes uncertain, families who depend on LPG face a harsh reality:
either wait in long lines or pay far higher prices in the informal market.
Reports from different areas
suggest that cylinders are sometimes being sold in the black market at two or
even three times their normal price. Whenever shortages emerge, those who
control supply often benefit the most.
The result is a familiar pattern.
Policies are announced with great publicity, but when systems fail under
pressure, ordinary citizens carry the burden. The effects are already visible
in everyday life.
During a recent lunch outing, I
ordered a dish that required additional cooking preparation. The restaurant
manager apologized and explained that the kitchen could not prepare it because
they were conserving their LPG supply.
Several items had quietly been
removed from the menu because preparing them required more cooking gas than the
restaurant could afford to use. In nearby areas, some restaurants have reduced
operating hours while others have temporarily closed altogether. For businesses
that depend entirely on cooking fuel, even a short disruption can make daily
operations impossible.
These are not political
arguments. They are situations visible in neighborhoods, markets, and
restaurants. The broader concern goes beyond cooking gas. The same pattern
appears in other sectors as well. In healthcare and education, announcements
often emphasize expansion and reform, yet public systems frequently face
funding shortages or closures. In education particularly, many government
schools have been shut down, leaving families with fewer affordable options.
Policies can look impressive in
announcements. Their real value appears only when systems are tested under
pressure.
All of this should be the focus
of serious journalism. Reporters should be visiting distribution points,
speaking with restaurant owners, examining supply chains, and asking officials
direct questions. If shortages exist, the public deserves transparency about
their causes and expected duration. If they do not exist, journalists should
prove that with evidence gathered from the ground.
Telling the truth does not weaken
governments. It strengthens them. Honest reporting exposes weaknesses in
policies before they become crises. When problems are reported early,
governments have the opportunity to correct them. In a situation like this, acknowledging
supply vulnerabilities could have encouraged stronger energy diplomacy and more
stable relationships with countries that supply gas. Ignoring the problem only
delays the solution.
But when media outlets stop
investigating and instead repeat official claims without verification,
journalism ceases to function as journalism. It becomes messaging. At that
point, the question becomes unavoidable: should such channels still be called
media at all?
If a platform consistently
repeats government talking points, ignores evidence visible to the public, and
refuses to investigate policies that affect millions of citizens. It is no
longer functioning as a news organization. It is functioning as a public
relations arm of the government.
A newsroom that abandons truth in
favor of political comfort is not practicing journalism. It is practicing
propaganda. And when propaganda replaces reporting, calling it “news” becomes
the biggest lie of all.
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