Paradigm Shift in the Policy of the Newspapers in India

Sk Waseem Akram
Andhra University, India

Volume III, Issue IV, 2020

In India where written Constitution is there in which media freedom has been given a Constitutional Right, the media enjoys vast freedom and proved media. But since its inception the media ownership has been playing a critical role in setting an agenda in the news and views which are directly linked to the relationship with the media owner, has been subject to a lot of criticism for the manner in which they have disregarded their obligation of social responsibility. But since Narendra Modi led BJP comes into the power in the Union in 2014, the situation worsens, as the media has given extra task of spreading pro-incumbent agenda along with its self-interest agenda. As Union has lots of discretionary powers in regulating the media, was used in pressurising the media, results in changing the entire paradigm of the news industry. As a result all most all mainstream media including newspapers started supporting the BJP, its Hindutva and Nationalist agenda, which is unprecedented in the history of media industry in India, as India witnessed media’s strong foot even during Emergency regime of Indira Gandhi. In India the media concentration has also helped a lot, as majority of the media is concentrated in the hands of very few, who own other business establishments along with the media.  In this paper the researcher tries to study the social responsibility of print media in the wake of media house ownership and the State pressure.

Keywords: Agenda Setting, Media Ownership, Newspaper, Objectivity in News, Paradigm Shift, Social Responsibility.