It has been a tough time for the Indian media. In the age of social media and disinformation, the news media’s credibility has been declining. Media economics has been going awry for many reasons, including the monopoly of tech platforms over online advertising and the slowdown in the Indian economy.
As if this was not enough, came Covid and lockdown, almost freezing economic activity for a while. Newspapers took a hit like never before. Many journalists have lost their jobs while some have seen big pay-cuts.
The Indian media does not get credit for doing a stellar job in times this tough. The pandemic, the lockdown, the migrant labour crisis caused by the lockdown, the Delhi riots in February, protests over various issues, elections in Bihar, and even a sensitive border dispute with China the Indian media did a stellar job covering and reporting it all, fearlessly. This was often at great personal cost, such as getting Covid. There have been unsung heroes among the tribe of re