Hello and welcome to the program. Im emily angry and the detention of dozens of people working in the media in india has been condemned by journalists organizations as well as press freedom and civil Rights Groups for the beach. I paid government says the rights were carried out to protect National Security, claiming media organizations are using secret chinese funding to undermine the states. Itd be j pays opponents say the Police Action is a sign of a 3rd, a version of press freedom in a country, often price for being the Worlds Largest democracy. So what is happening to india is media, and just how free is journalism then . Well be discussing all that and will without guess shortly, that 1st this report from baghdad making the media office rates and journalists question seems that are becoming common in india on tuesday, it was the turn of a news portal critical of the Government Police search, the office of news click and the homes of several of its writers. Dozens of them were detained, interrogated and released. Their laptops and mobile phones were seized. Use cliques, editor, and a senior executive. Id be interested in held. Well yeah, i mean, what do i have you definitely with a we have not been given any reason nor the grounds or the offence committed for which the journalist has brought here. No such information has been given to either his family members nor to us that the government defends its move, saying the rates are part of an investigation. Its a suspected illegal form funding of the media company. Police registered a case against news clicked in august after the New York Times reported the website received funds from a us millionaire. Report accuse neville roy single of working closely with beijing to push chinese propaganda world wide. A charge. The tech mogul denies china say pass a good and you have, but if some portfolio agency would run chinas agend after taking money from them, such things cannot be allowed to happen in the country. This has happened earlier to, to the investigation was going on against them. And now we have concrete evidence that money is coming from china and america. And that money is being used to promote the china here. The opposition accuses authorities of cracking down on voice is critical of the government of Prime Minister and are under moody. This is an attempt to try it in my little the media and the press except the that the, the, im in the media has the physics idea. The, then the. But what does it, what does the, the, the concrete ones know of the crack down comes months after indian texas. Dohertys rated the offices of the bbc in new delhi, and by the channel air, the documentary critical oven to render modis role in the good drug riots. In 2002 more than a 1000 people were killed and thousands injured in the unrest between communities in that state body was then its chief minister. Other independent outlets have also been targeted. Most of the searches are carried out under so called anti terror powers, that critics say, or draconian, and a misuse of the law, you know, about shopped up into the police are not listening to us. We have no application as being exempt in what time our clients are not being allowed to sign their legal authorization letters. This is an act of terror. Joe, this is an effort to silence people on question the government in any form the degree of press freedom in india has plunge since never under moody took charge as Prime Minister in 2014, in this years World Press Freedom index of a 180 countries indeed has dropped 261 from a 150 last year. Its lowest ranking on record Reporters Without Borders that conducts the annual ranking warrants press freedom is in crisis in india. Big admin. He cheat for inside story. The. Lets bringing out guess now in room by is ronda a huge global opinions ride from the Washington Post and also of the food gerad files and asked me on a cover im in new delhi is show as danielle Political Editor of the scroll news in india. And in frankfort is by me as your Program Coordinator for the community to protect general as a warm welcome to you all. And thanks for joining us on the program. Run out, im going to stop with you and its a simple question. Is press freedom in crisis in the Worlds Largest democracy. I really am going to begin with you introductions. Book about the boys press freedom in dicks reading, the india now splits on the 161st position of the was best freedom index, and thats 6. 1. Use and the fact that im at this point depends on the start, the new enemies of the state. The fact that solution on you would be unlawful activities prevention that is being used against your most just your whole regional nustar. And as far as the what all was not just democracy um, oh, the thing is what happened can use click yesterday has become a norm um uh, in at this point of time and being time a big issue especially independence subdivision somebody is critical of the government the boards publishes something of which goes against the state of the line of the government. We see this kind of reprisals against the journalist whether does the income tax know this Money Laundering . Oh yeah, it used to be just definition, but now we have better doors being moved against joining us. So yes, we are not as the as youd like to be. In fact, this is probably one of the most times to be just as an independent journalist of good to go up, the more the government in india right now, run out. I want to pick up on what you said in terms of the laws that they were arrested or detained under show a, these journalists were arrested and whats known as the unlawful activities prevention act. What is that, and why is it so dangerous for press . Freedom to the unlawful activities. Preventative accident connect to actually an antique dental, and using that justification is extremely difficult. In one of his most nicole, you actually measures or features is that be, is nearly impossible under the law. So you are basically jean without trial. So the quote is actually forced to accept the version of the prosecution by ceiling. Unexcused. So which is why it is being wide, widely used, widely employed. By the more the government decided critics or the way theyd be civil rights activists. And yesterday we saw id be whos against to extremely expedient. Journalist, one of the donors picked up today was also, you know, in a very. 5 i dont think moment onto picked up in the image in see 1975 will be and he has been picked up to be under the 9 to 10 or not. So this is, this is, its such a cool new law that its impossible to get jane say that i was the government actually imprisoned. People for euros deals on and without science. And this is why its such a favorite for the government to use it. Give me this, it didnt send anybody who 14 or any active is tools. Funeral organizing and mobilizing means the government lea, this isnt anything new. The ways that the Indian Government has been cracking down on journalists, critical of Prime Minister, no render murdy for some time. Now, what has your organization been documenting in this is not the 1st time um, as we heard just now, you know, earlier this year we have seen similar rate, the time of the office of news, click and hold off on the job as well. So be it 2 years ago. So this is monique human to paula in 2014. So as to the day we have documented us, they are really number of cases, alternatives be harass jill. And also deal because of the critical reporting off the dollars and the party. But what is most of the ones that need to be j of of, from just so they the action taken against new york . Yeah, yes. Got to around the news, the editor and one of the saw. This is the latest off to button i ration of security law against generalized. Busy work to run a your generalized working in india from a personal perspective. Can you describe to us what its like to be a journalist day today in your country . Without me, i can still see im a very innovative disposition to the extent that i have access to grades on the set of lawyers. I have access to International Platforms that show sort of dynasty with me all but yes, it is a difficult job at this point of time because i spend more time with my lawyers that i could i as much as i wanted to doing my job reports, having said that i think im, but its very important to point doubt that theyre joining us in the country who are still behind bars under you. It is especially joiners. English need a full bible. There was 2 behind bars on the radio. Just didnt know if not just you wouldnt be to, but also the National Security act and the Public Safety at some of them have been behind by some more than 2 years without be just a Big Government was a district for more than 2 years was behind box and wanted to use part of it because he was on his way to the board, the gang deep or lower cost. Good. So that was due to affairs of journalism and theyd, yeah, and im what im really concerned about as somebody was been in the profession for our most do more than continuous know, is a Chilling Effect this. This will have on a young generational journalist independent journalist, specifically one of the profession were already in the profession when they see this kind of, you know, been victim. I can deal with the government, the book with that the so with the families to read them from doing that, just because nobody wants. Uh nobody wants to go to the doorstep. First thing in the morning. No big ones have gone on on below blending. Ok. And whats meant that they played on Money Laundering charges against you or members of your family is not a Pleasant Side to have both take your doorstep. I think it does kind of cheating effective without that you didnt get that done in the engine original. Jones is what it was, largest doesnt work because hed be the corner store for very liberal ideas and bindings. The kind of questions which are being off to when i go to the media reports but musically, john and this is about the nature of the videos for desks and india. Youre the almost protest or other citizenship purpose. So basically the government this time, but his definition link that any funding was the same thing on the because the government is, is a problem. Again, this was looking at because of the nicely forces. Oh, but then it is. So were just trying to find a more subtle this is the new, this is the new back to me. I wanted to jump in there cuz i wanted to pick up from what you just said the show up. Do you think that part of the issue is that any critique of the government is saying is at the national unpatriotic . Is that part of the issue . He its part of the issue and you know what brand. I mention the media. The media is a big box both pointed to the nearest, the more the government has made it one of its main proud of these for control the media. Part of it is im using the data though, so that allows me to offices, which does not support critical and the more the government at all. But for the others, as you know for this part of me, dallas to fitness, new click will do report critically. Will do report on the ground on the situation on the ground. As i mentioned, you know, the number of products which im going to be in the money for the more the government. So its smaller portals here because that was reported critically. That what voice is on the ground that disseminated these views. And so for them business to and which is a very large stick, which is the end to get it over to just absolutely just my employment. A journalist whos been working for the past decade is reporting on the ground. Would it be now call the dentist and in, as, as you mentioned, there is an abundance of Media Outlets. Lee, if i can direct this question to you, is that an abundance in india . Able to conceal the concentration of ownership and what impact does that concentration of ownership have on press freedoms . Well, its one of the largest use industry. And so what were seeing right now um approximately issues of concentration of video and issues as well. But what were seeing is really the communications of journalism and yall, which is very long twice, especially true tactics, learning using financial, trying to to time Media Outlets or in the general tab, the economy see or to reach you in the g use. But it recently is also being used in india and india as a country where the spacious guarantee on the constitution. So this is not the 1st part of the thing that the mother takes being used in getting the run out and measures about the follow for tasks and the benefits as well. Theres an issue of 5 people in india, and this is new york just reporting about whats going on in the grow and the reading on sunday to run a just staying on the concentration of media ownership for just a moment before we brought in and out the concentration of media ownership in the countrys leading language is henzy. But what do you agree that its even more laughed at a regional level for local language publications. But im really the 2 sides of it. So there are these big headed on legacy media houses. Sedan job, big names, big publications. Um you know, what, depending on the government, a big business houses for the ads and revenues out of the other thing is that one did was access to the government. So i think because of some of the biggest media houses in india, but theyre in the on english are now owned by a big business houses who do not want to dig cartoons with the government. Um, on the other hand, we have independence. News outlets like like sure, sure. Well thats cool. Is that what you said . It was called the independent outlets like screwing articles, looking at their obligation that can be like moving iowa to oh, there isnt, there isnt that kind of funding that these organizations are sure to have and, and been, i mean that they dont have that kind of beach so the, each of these mainstream legacy Media Outlets, which is basically it to most of them are joining out the that much, that its a student by the government. So at this point of time behind this job, any b, b one says district, exactly any of the, one of the independent of so the say independent media at home, thats what being critical of the government under what size they cover up the end. You do the go by the dani uh, by, by the identity of similar to the, with, with all the other english news. Johns with him, the news channels and skin be news publications, a big part of the censorship. Emily is on the ownership of these population who owns them and then addition to but those and all. So i think that is a big problem in the dr. Fix and nobody at the end of the day, nobody one soon informed me that i paid notice at the doors to one is that on 2nd, nobody wants to lose access to those involved show ever noticed you knowing that, do you think journalists who work for a particular medium, say print versus television or radio, or do you think one of those mediums, im a journalist that work for them. I move on rubel than the others . Yes. For this complex. So the i think is the most the best. Because stevie has the biggest reach. So its where the government is most invested, they think of as low as it has the biggest point to to get in fact, sort of tv. Yeah. Unless theres a lot of pressure on you to conform to a certain point. It again line. So it does play out along those lines to some extent, just because tv has a bigger each unit. Im coming back the old. Oh you question around how it plays it. All National Regional levels, you know, sort of, ironically, i think that these new media is actually somewhat clear then the measuring media, the big media house is just because of what brought up pointed out the fact that the corporate control that is more them also if its more mixed, but when it comes to the measuring media, which the more the government is very, very invested in controlling. Theres a lot of corporate, uh, top down control. And especially languages such as india. And i shouldnt even english when its, its actually very difficult to do now to run an independent english of indian new shannon, which supports particular government just because of all the candidates and sticks attributes on it to me. If you do so late, would you agree with that sentiment that its, that its Television Journalist . So do you think that old journalist, no matter what the communication method method are on the thresh, ive been seeing a number of cases of fact in the, you know, journal is not just in general. So for any useful cause of increasing maybe also getting reports about foreign correspondents having facing a lot of restrictions and tools. A trouble um, based on these are uncertainties, but i think you know, uh overall, um of course there is um, an indian uh indian you know, as i still facing the biggest track, especially those in the region of looking for the region to run a police said that 37. 00 men and 9 women have been questioned in these racing. Rives, i know youve been quite vocal about Online Violence against female general is how does gender play a role if any, in this particular issue . Really, emily, i hate to bring myself in the situation, but as a woman of those muslim women, critical of the government, the ages more gender to speak against me. I mean, i just posted a picture of, well, you know, somebody from, you know, all these rights when shoulds, what they do is pick up your image from, from the internet and say, oh, shes a more than just the woman who advocates for the job and ended up as an online ruling against a woman, i think its a little more harder and then it comes to music on the box. You know, when theyre sexualized with the twitter twins are more to do with their sexuality. But there was a general way of very image is open monday through it all to create a negative about do to discredit your work, visit online, and none of them that also you. Theres one thing for the government, develop it in the mainstream media, the dog and you know, use the government additive. But the other in the clear, and this is the social media. Now that was be used to diamonds, the condition of just quite critical of the government. I mean, you know, but theyre just new political or whether just the bbc over the independence on this or fund enjoying this. You know that, i mean, you have time. So again, they may be damage on whos just something just kind of got off the golf and you will see when the best buy bought an open heart. Everybody has the best book to go to. But everybody has meant the best way to find Something Like this. So it does show a lot of people dont, i know Women Journalist in india who have gone quiet because of the gender, but also when that gets them, not everybody has the bank. They dont to fight the engine. In george, im in dire need of social media. Im a student, be there whats going on when it gets there . So theres also the backup nodded. Theyve been been just starting on the back clean agencies. Theres also backlink. This means the media and the social media. Now that theyve, those children delta gets them either be that that is a very, very effective medium. You know, you have lots of course for instance, right . So you can dep side. So we fact took the news, but that she didnt get the sites already. A very nice concept by the time a just is just created that information as going to why dont in the country one step forward. So that just has made an enemy of the state. So right now the opposed to get an agency can prosecute author just be able to get to join this. She just wanted to make us page. But before that, youve described in the journalist im there, which is good to go out. The government does that as somebody does, government has done effectively. And that brings me to my next question. So ive, how can journalists find back . I think journalist can find back using the only 2 journalist soul, which is difficult. And i think yesterday was a tough being falling into a list. And its i think Less Community shaking the fact that its so easy to imprison a Senior Member of senior colleagues such as people abuse take. But i think all we can do is just for the heads down and report and do a job and hope that the country would turn on for the better. And we can be a smaller part of the lane. What do you think the future holds for journalism . In india, specifically for the um, you know, the best way for us to, um, the future to, to, to continue reporting. Uh, i wanna say just knowledge that no, this is what we do. But, and i truly believe that have that one guy. Um and also i think um, new one is that is very strong positions offered to pass a, a less return to this is who really wants to talk to them about the patients in the address. Im crestline, which goes well beyond the people elections as to the indian dollar to this guy wants to be kind of be the model of the the only can be the graveyard advocacy who run up the United States as cold for respect for the media, but has declined to weigh in on reports of news, clicks, relationship with china. Do you want washington to step out what you want from the International Community move broadly . Id be what to expect just for the journalism organizations internationally and not as much governments, but more journalism organizations to kind of speak and sort of data data joining this. Itd be great because you know, i have the profession assigned to the dock. I dont think governments because governments i thought can be, you know, Something Like this i think is it is just a moment versions of joseph publications that need to speak up are the needs everyone in the way just like your joint this book and sorted out of the rent event been jamal because shogi was more good and you wouldnt be need that kind of sort of data from john this globally over what just happened it because, you know, astray of said yesterday was, or yesterday was a very depressing, deeper just listen like i again, i want to say that i wonder if this is good, disagreeing young children, listen to it. Yeah. Right. How do we create a sim was best for them . How do we make sure that they do not feel imprisonment or even we think something against the government . So i think its a National Jones and body sense in the National Media should stay or you dont should still have the bad. Oh, bid up there just were moving into an independent john list in india. Were looking at a great rest of their life. They dont. The deluxe is. I think Jonathan Barbee should do more to predict these independent john, this one will be a great list of the advice show up. How has the indian public reacted . What have you heard anecdotally, or when youre going out on the streets in new delhi . Well, how is people reacted to these raids and these arrest . So does he actually tell me, but one thing that i want to sort of put solid is the distortion of media and you know, yeah, has had a really impacted 1000000 public and it hasnt been, it doesnt have a very bad back to report impacting that people have lost stuff in the media. So people right now because they dont trust a lot of what they need to be just putting out because the, their lives at the know the last parts of the media acting as healthy. So the government, this is something that you will hear often in fact, sometimes you wouldnt even get it from people who are supposed to be thankful that way, many people whats of what it means youd be maybe so they would also not believe uh what program in general sort of putting up and you know, we might sort of get lost in the, the give doesnt, but honestly, this is the very best we need to know because you cant have a democracy. You could simply cannot have a democracy in which the media is not really. I mean its, its, its a submit ticket out of it. And i hope that the political conditions can pull us back from the campus so that we dont people and, and run up. The next indian general election is expected to be held in a few months time, about 6 months time, potentially, between april and may of 2024. I was expecting if the correct down by the indian govern government in the coming months. But i dont want to sound like a cynic, but the reaching started looking right now. I expect for the front down and most is june. This, but civil rights activists defend just about members of the opposition. I think it is going to be a very, very tough time here to hit up the jeanette elections because what we are using now, the 6 months into the gender election has given, given the view on working life ahead. And that is what is extremely distressing. As well, i think the state of journalism is in strong hands with the 3 of you. We appreciate your time on this edition of the inside story. Thank you so much. Thanks to all about this ronna i, you show a but danielle and bailey and thank you to for watching. You can see the program again any time by visiting our website, which is 0 dot com. And for further discussion going to l. Facebook page. Thats facebook dot com. Forward slash add a inside story. You can also join the conversation on x, formerly known as twitter. Handle is as i, j inside story for me, emily anglin, and the whole t by the the last year, part of son experience, one of the worst floods in the countrys history. Veney rule communities are still waiting for help. Hundreds of people on the outskirts of the city of may who has been living under open skies for a year in last years floods. This road behind me, those fields, the entire area that stretches in this direction was completely submerged. Many of the homes and buildings that were destroyed are still rubble. And parts of this district have started the flood once again, the a fake. I mean, the Artificial Intelligence is altering the political landscape. How can we, as humans trust to you, the machines trust is and not even as and develops and becomes more powerful. I believe its important to build trust to transparency is communication between humans and machines. But do we know that youre not going to lie to us . No one can ever know that for sure, people empowered investigates a democracy on a jersey to show documentary from around the world. That celebrates coverage and resilience in times of tumbling out as the risk analysis thought provoking on sundays. But the patient doesnt have time to wait for the extremely unfortunate, but there are no quick wins and events or research hard hitting interviews. Do you feel like america is less than the days of these days, or is it just a different full . I think the demography of the process facing realities do you see that the fraction is already starting the g 7 in the us on one side, china and the brakes on the other . I think there is a huge piece of that to happen via the stores on tools to how does era the latest news as it breaks, while presence of cases have been reported in conflict zones, the unit says that those do not reflect the real number with detail coverage, you may wonder how all of these people dont get lost in the jungles. And the reason that they dont is that theyre told to follow these markers from around the world. If i go quiet, youd be able to have nothing. There is absolutely no one whos left to the or at least for the same people. It killed and a 100, missing, and movie, send it off. The heavy rains cool with a glacial lake to bus the money by down to their life from debt to coming up. Going to school in 2023 is on coast to be the office you. This is temper shots is temperature records. To palestinians. It kills him is really rates me optimize was fine, well have