All Eyes on India’s Independent Media After Election Results
According to exit polls released on Saturday night, two days before the announcement of the results, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appears to be headed for a victory. However, the actual results could still hold surprises, likely to be welcomed by many. Regardless of which party or coalition forms the government, the focus over the next five years should be on the media, with the expectation that news outlets will choose to remain, or become, independent again, advocating for the well-being of the ordinary citizen.
The BJP’s victory, while potentially disappointing to many, should not come as a surprise to anyone. It is well-known that the party held a significant advantage over the opposition INDIA alliance. There have been persistent questions and concerns about the use of electoral bonds and raids conducted by the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax Department, which have purportedly made the BJP the wealthiest party. Moreover, the majority of popular and mainstream media outlets, as well as the country’s wealthiest businesses, have shown a pro-BJP bias. Serious doubts have also been raised about the independence of the Election Commission of India, and many perceive that the judiciary could have done more to maintain its reputation for complete independence.
Despite their apparent advantages, BJP leaders looked visibly desperate and insecure during the election. This perceived insecurity seemingly compelled them to engage in an extremely negative and divisive campaign, focusing attention on “others” rather than on their own policies and achievements.
It's widely known that the BJP’s campaign, for the first time, employed anti-Muslim and anti-Congress party rhetoric as its main message, focusing on this rather than its governance achievements in areas such as the economy, jobs, healthcare and education.
Writing for The Wire, Prof. Apoorvanand wrote: “If the speeches of all BJP leaders and the party’s election campaign materials are analysed, one can see clearly that this time, the BJP has sought an anti-Muslim mandate from its voters. A mandate to put Muslims in their place. Till date, one section of voters was never pitted against the other with such brazenness and shamelessness.”
The central question is not so much whether voters care about democracy and its associated values, but rather why “governance,” the very reason we elect our representatives, seemed to have little impact on this election’s outcome.
Indeed, the institution primarily responsible for shaping the issues that dominate discourse and debates in society is the media. This includes both traditional media outlets, independent online media outlets as well as individuals who use social media platforms to disseminate news, effectively running their own news outlets in their own right.
Newsreel Asia conducted two independent studies in 2022, revealing that barely one percent of media coverage in India focuses on governance—the government’s duty to provide essential services such as healthcare, education, jobs, infrastructure, poverty alleviation, nutrition, law and order and more.
The majority of news stories are centered on prominent figures or organisations and focus primarily on party politics. Even if a story critiques a political party, its leaders can benefit from the coverage, as it draws people into their ideological battles. When voters view parties solely through the lens of ideology—which may consist merely of words, rhetoric, or falsehoods—the party’s actual record in governance tends not to be considered.
Over the last five years—and indeed over the last decade and beyond—certain politicians have continuously spoken at length about their ideological battles, often targeting minorities in a highly divisive manner. Each time, media outlets, including those independent ones that are committed to democracy, have eagerly covered these statements. It almost appears as though the real “editors” deciding the content for publication the following morning are these very politicians.
Ask any editor about their coverage plans for the next month, and they’ll typically say it depends on upcoming events, including statements from political elites. While it’s practical to reserve part of the editorial schedule for such “happenings,” this “reactive” approach often neglects longstanding governance issues that have gone uncovered for decades. Moreover, editors should critically assess the underlying motives behind politicians’ statements. These objectives are often not to create division for its own sake, but rather to use that division to dominate public discourse, thereby diverting attention from their failures in governance.
Regardless of the election results, independent media will play a crucial role. If the BJP secures a third consecutive term, it could embolden many of its supporters, potentially leading to increased divisions and possibly violence. In this scenario, independent media can play a constructive role by keeping their audiences focused on issues that affect their well-being, rather than the interests of the political elite. Conversely, if the INDIA coalition wins, there could still be divisions. In this case, independent media must maintain the same approach—keeping public discourse focused on the well-being of the common people, not on political manoeuvring.