By Ranjona Banerji
There’s a wonderful cartoon pictured here, from twisteddoodles, which reads:
Person 1: “Next up we will discuss the topic with someone whose job is to be a well researched and respected expert in the area”.
Person 2: “And in the interest of balance we will also talk to an idiot.”
In short, this is the media. Mainly but not only television.
As of now, the idiots have the run of the house.
But together with the idiots we have the too-clever-by-half people who invite the idiots. It is not an act of idiocy to invite the idiots. It is a carefully thought-out strategy to denigrate experts and appeal to all the idiots in the world.
This is, if you will, a sophisticated method of reducing intelligence levels of our target audience. The other is to “dogwhistle” if you like. To use terms, words and insinuations which appeal to your core audience to send them subliminal messages.
I have had great admiration for the Indian Express as a newspaper in the past and sometimes even now. But it has not only often forgotten, in recent times, its prime responsibility to show truth to power, it has also pandered to the demands of the regime.
A curious “explainer” article appeared in the newspaper after Rahul Gandhi the Supreme Court put a stay on the sentence which led to his disqualification as a Lok Sabha MP.
The article appears to make it clear to its readers what happens to Rahul Gandhi now. But the presentation of information – minus clarification – implies that the money and perks due to Rahul Gandhi are somehow exclusive to him. And not to all MPs. In that sense, the article says nothing. It does, for instance, inform readers if there is retrospective payment. Or if the house which he vacated would be returned. In effect, it says nothing that is exclusive to Rahul Gandhi’s particular case. As a matter of interest, all MPs get these perks.
https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-law/rahul-gandhis-mp-status-restored-what-this-means-what-next-8880911/
To my mind, in the current circumstance, this is a dogwhistle. It’s informing pro-BJP readers, at sonic levels not evident to all, that Rahul Gandhi is going to get special treatment, money and so on.
Then we have the open intimidation of the media by a party in power and the reaction of the rest of the media. There are few websites which try to do good journalism. I don’t fall in that category of people who worship individual journalists, TV anchors, editors, columnists and media houses. Some consistently do better than others and those are to be admired and watched. Newsclick.in is one of those. The ruling regime has gunned for it before but found new evidence to try and hang it with.
The “evidence” comes from a New York Times expose into a US tech tycoon of Sri Lankan descent who has strong far-left leanings, Neville Roy Singham. In this long investigation into Singham’s various strategies to support China and push China’s agenda, there is a throwaway line about Singham once funding Newsclick.in.
Obviously, the BJP went ballistic because Newsclick.in has been a constant critic. It also, curiously blamed Rahul Gandhi for this funding or his connections to China, or Singham or Newsclick.in. All unsubstantiated. For some reason BJP ministers also named journalist Swati Chaturvedi, who is often critical of the regime, again with no evidence.
As for Newsclick.in itself, this is its own defence:
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2023/aug/07/newsclick-refutes-break-india-allegations-made-by-union-minister-2602940.html
However, if you check the internet, it is full of Indian media articles either publicizing the BJP response or citing the New York Times investigation, or explaining who Singham is. But none of them provide any disclaimers or any further information. Except The New Indian Express article linked above.
This is the other media way of staying safe by omitting information or shooting from the shoulders of politicians.
Thus half the coverage of Manipur, once the media started covering it, was headlines like “The Congress blamed the government”. Rather than any actual reporting. This pattern has been seen over and over again.
So we know that the media likes pandering to idiots.
The question is how long the general public enjoys being treated like idiots.
**
One commendation to Mid-Day for its front page headline “Why Only Muslims”, on the Haryana bulldozer action against homes and establishments after the violence led largely by Bajrang Dal and VHP “activists. Although it is a question asked by the Muslim community itself.
And then this column from Swati Chaturvedi on Rahul Gandhi’s return to Parliament:
https://gulfnews.com/opinion/op-eds/gandhi-30-rahul-gandhis-complete-reinvention-for-2024-india-elections-1.97404928
Ranjona Banerji is a senior journalist and commentator. She writes on MxMIndia on Tuesdays and Fridays. Her views here are personal.