Sawt Falasteen - India youth protests highlight mistrust in 'lapdog' media

In rallies across the country spearheaded by the online Cockroach Janta Party movement, protest signs branded TV channels as "India's worst enemies", and activists criticised "lapdog" media said to be aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration.

The hostility underscored a widening gulf between legacy networks and a growing ecosystem of independent digital outlets that many young Indians increasingly turn to for news.

At New Delhi's Jantar Mantar protest site, many students said they relied on social media and independent platforms.

"It is disheartening to see news channels," said Sukhjeet Narula, 28, a software professional.

"They brand every protest anti-national."

The immediate backlash saw protesters target TV journalists.

Dev Kotak, a reporter with prominent English-language network Times Now, said a crowd in New Delhi threw water at him, but that quickly escalated into slaps and kicks.

"There was anger simmering around me and I was scared for my life," the 36-year-old told AFP.

Videos of an exhausted Kotak running behind security personnel as protesters pursue him spread on social media.

Three of his colleagues were also harassed.

In other footage verified by AFP, a reporter with Zee TV was heckled while broadcasting live from a protest in Mumbai.

Another video showed a journalist being chased by a crowd in the eastern city of Patna.

- 'Conspiracies' -

The Times Network said they had covered the protests in an "entirely neutral manner" but their journalists were still "assaulted in the most reprehensible manner".

"We may differ in views, but we cannot take the law into our own hands," it said in a statement.

Media observers say the public anger reflected years of eroding confidence.

"Godi media are considered anti-people and anti-opposition," journalist Ravish Kumar told AFP.

The term "godi" -- "lap" in Hindi -- is used by critics to refer to so-called "lapdog" media accused of abandoning their watchdog role.

"They have destroyed their own credibility. Genuine public demands are being termed as conspiracies in order to demonise them," said Kumar.

Rights groups have raised concerns about press freedom since Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 2014, citing growing hostility towards journalists perceived as critical of the government.

India ranks 157th out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders' World Press Freedom Index, down 17 places from 2013.

Journalists critical of the government have faced criminal cases, arrests and online harassment from supporters of the ruling party.

Opposition politicians have long accused news channels of peddling BJP's agenda, including through polarising coverage of Muslim minorities.

- 'Sold out' -

Tensions surrounding the protests became so intense that some TV journalists opted to conceal the name and logo of their organisations.

"They stopped coming with logos on their mics because the youth were targeting them," said Shailendra Singh, 30.

"The mainstream media has completely sold out to the government," added the private sector employee.

Atul Chaurasia, managing editor of the Newslaundry digital platform, argued that traditional newsrooms relied on a "flawed financial model" that depended heavily on advertising revenue from the government.

"The government weaponises advertising, effectively destroying the environment that allows media organisations to operate freely," he told AFP.

Kumar said it was important to distinguish between large TV networks and independent outlets that often face pressure from authorities.

"It is the alternative media and independent journalists who face hostility from the government," he said. "They are subjected to raids, branded anti-national, or even imprisoned."

The recent outburst of anger, Kumar argued, reflected a broader perception that some TV networks have become "a threat to democracy".

"Godi" media outlets have "become a liability, even for Prime Minister Modi", he said.

J.Saleh--SF-PST