Journalism in India, Once a Profession Now a Trade – Dr Ambedkar


Arnab Goswami launched a channel named Republic a few days ago. He is known as a BJP supporter and noise polluter in India! Republic TV is a media venture of ARG Outlier Media Pvt. Ltd, and Asianet News Service—a company founded by Rajya Sabha BJP MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who is also an investor in the firm. This is about money and profits, not the nation. Another Brahmin-Bania channel to propagate propaganda of hatred and we don’t expect any good news from the Republic TV. Here is a reminder from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar on the sorry state of Indian journalism. Has anything changed since then? Let us know in the comments below.

Journalism in India was once a profession. It has now become a trade. It has no more moral function than the manufacture of soap. It does not regard itself as the responsible adviser of the Public. To give the news uncoloured by any motive, to present a certain view of public policy which it believes to be for the good of the community, to correct and chastise without fear all those, no matter how high, who have chosen a wrong or a barren path, is not regarded by journalism in India its first or foremost duty. To accept a hero and worship him has become its principal duty. Under it, news gives place to sensation, reasoned opinion to unreasoning passion, appeal to the minds of responsible people to appeal to the emotions of the irresponsible. Lord Salisbury spoke of the Northcliffe journalism as written by office-boys for office-boys. Indian journalism is all that plus something more. It is written by drum-boys to glorify their heroes. Never has the interest of country been sacrificed so senselessly for the propagation of hero-worship. Never has hero-worship become so blind as we see it in India today. There are, I am glad to say, honourable exceptions. But they are too few, and their voice is never heard.

Dr Ambedkar, Section VIII, Ranade, Gandhi and Jinnah. Vol-I, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Writing and Speeches

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3 Comments

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  1. 1
    Devapatananaayakam

    What disgusts me most is the way Arnab is portrayed as a brand/celebrity rather then a just a journalist! Journalism hence is not just a trade but also managed to stoop down to being an entertainment industry that is far from being journalistic in any of its definition.
    Arnab is back but I’m waiting for the day when honest, unbiased and fearless journalism shall be back in India.

  2. 2
    Krishna

    Indian Media is owned by churches, communist party, the British, or American news outlets for long enough. Good to see an Indian owned news channel that is nationalistic. Enough with the anti-Indian bigotry.

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