The news coverage of the NDTV 24X7 channel in the month of June 2016, which included a debate on doing away with the triple talaq method of divorce among the Indian Muslim community, followed by an exclusive on the controversy surrounding Robert Vadra’s alleged benami transactions with arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, were both news reports from NDTV that surprised many. This is largely because NDTV Group’s flagship product NDTV 24X7 has always been perceived as a channel which is ideologically left leaning, and some may say in the habit of deliberately disregarding controversial issues which would be viewed as interference in the religious practices of minorities in India.
And while NDTV 24X7 has previously reported on Robert Vadra’s alleged involvement in dodgy land deals; the kind of doggedness that has characterized its exclusive on Robert Vadra, rather unusually brought about several angry reactions directed towards the NDTV Group, from Congress leaders on social media; something which probably never occurred before. It is with some justification then that one wonders if this obvious change in the pattern of NDTV’s reportage is really a conscious tactical move to endear itself to the incumbent powers that be.
Now I certainly hope that the readers of this piece don’t misunderstand me. I’m glad that NDTV has begun to address issues which its perceived toeing of an ideological slant, did not perhaps allow it to so previously. And even though, I would personally love to extend my heartiest congratulations and the benefit of the doubt to the NDTV Group for its decision to turn a new leaf and engage in fearless and unbiased reporting, a reading of the following well researched article regarding the NDTV Group’s financials and their conscious move towards diversifying into digital business and e-commerce ventures, to try and make up for the weak showing of their Television revenues could serve as a good enough reason for anyone to ascribe a motive to the channel’s new found courage in taking up issues which they were traditionally not known for taking up before.
The question before us therefore is a very simple one. When a Business group and its flagship product NDTV 24X7 has almost consistently incurred losses, as reflected in the last 5 Annual Reports of New Delhi Television Limited (a sure indication of a financial slump faced by the Television Businesses of a group, which once enjoyed a virtual monopoly in the private sector electronic news media space); what exactly aids the flagship product’s continued existence? In other words, how does a flagship product which is consistently unable to sustain itself both financially and competitively against newer and brasher rivals like Times Now, India Today, NewsX etc. remain viable enough for the owners to continue funding its losses, over such a long period of time? As of now, the answer to this question is only in the realm of speculation and conjecture.
Unfortunately for the NDTV Group, their history of unrestrained and one sided reporting on issues (the 2002 riots in Gujarat, for example) in a way that has always sought to unfairly target the Sangh Parivar, has meant that even if the current dispensation under Narendra Modi, was open to the idea of, in some way aiding the cause of a financially ailing media group to suit their own personal interests (which they definitely aren’t) then too it’s unlikely that the NDTV group would be able to find favor with the current dispensation; or for that matter from investors in the corporate sector; who I’m sure would also not want to bear the unnecessary burden of being viewed as allies of a media group, which has always sought to unfairly discredit the man currently at the helm of affairs in India.
I suppose only time will now tell, how far the NDTV Group would be willing to bend, in order to prove that it is no longer a channel with an axe to grind against Narendra Modi; all this in the hope of looking for new ‘benefactors’.
Because unless they are able to pull off a miracle in terms of being able to achieve an increased viewership in comparison to their rivals (read: Arnab Goswami), it sure seems impossible for the group to carry on funding the losses of NDTV 24X7.
But aside from the scrutiny of the financials of any one particular media group, the issue that is most relevant also pertains to the integrity of the media as a whole; and whether their pandering to the vested interests of a benefactor, either in the government of the day, or in the corporate world is something that can realistically be done away with. The fact is that this is probably unlikely; particularly when the competition is so intense and the profit margins low. But there is no real reason for anyone to be despondent about this. Because the checks and balances brought about by the power of Social Media in the last decade, which has really emerged as a traditional media watchdog of sorts, has ensured that traditional mainstream media can no longer continue to set narratives that suit their biases without being called out for it.
This article was written in the month of June 2016. Some of the ground realities might have changed.
