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{{Short description|Pejorative term used for pro-government media in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2021}}

'''Godi Media''' ({{IPA-hi|ɡoːdiː}}; {{literally|media sitting on lap}}; [[sense-for-sense translation|idiomatic equivalent]]: 'lapdog media'; also called '''Modia''')<ref name="Mukhopadhyay 2021">{{cite magazine |last1=Mukhopadhyay |first1=Nilanjan |title=Muzzling the media: How the Modi regime continues to undermine the news landscape |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/muzzling-the-media-how-the-narendra-modi-regime-continues-to-undermine-the-news-landscape/article33770431.ece |url-access=subscription |work=[[Frontline (magazine)|Frontline]] |date=26 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209035845/https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/muzzling-the-media-how-the-narendra-modi-regime-continues-to-undermine-the-news-landscape/article33770431.ece |archive-date=9 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Rana Ayyub |title=Journalism is under attack in India. So is the truth |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=21 February 2020 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/02/21/journalism-is-under-attack-india-so-is-truth/}}</ref><ref name="KeyConcepts-LapdogTheory-2005">{{cite book |last1=Franklin |first1=Bob |last2=Hamer |first2=Martin |last3=Hanna |first3=Mark |last4=Kinsey |first4=Marie |last5=Richardson |first5=John |chapter=Lapdog Theory of Journalism |title=Key Concepts in Journalism Studies |date=2005 |pages=97, 130–131 |doi=10.4135/9781446215821.n109 |chapter-url=https://sk.sagepub.com/books/key-concepts-in-journalism-studies/n109.xml |chapter-url-access=subscription |url=https://sk.sagepub.com/books/key-concepts-in-journalism-studies |url-access=subscription |publisher=[[SAGE Publishing|SAGE]]|isbn=9780761944829 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Mukhia|first=Harbans|date=January 14, 2020|title=Is a new India rising?|url=https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/is-a-new-india-rising/article30560639.ece|url-status=live|access-date=22 June 2021|website=The Hindu}}</ref> is a [[pejorative]] term coined and popularized by [[NDTV]] journalist [[Ravish Kumar]], for the sensationalist and biased Indian print and TV [[news media]], which supports the ruling [[National Democratic Alliance|NDA government]].<ref name="Wire-Philipose-Backstory-2020">{{Cite web |last=Philipose |first=Pamela |date=5 December 2020 |title=Backstory: Farmers' Protest and Callousness – as the Media Sows, So Will They Reap. |url=https://thewire.in/media/backstory-farmers-protest-journalistic-callousness-media |access-date=22 December 2020 |website=The Wire}}</ref><ref name="Wire-Ara-FaceHeat-2020">{{Cite web |first=Ismat |last=Ara |date=9 December 2020 |title=At Farmers' Protest, Field Reporters of 'Godi Media' Channels Face the Heat |url=https://thewire.in/rights/farmers-protest-godi-media-channels-ground-reporters |access-date=27 December 2020 |website=The Wire}}</ref><ref name="Caravan-Bal-MediaArmGovt-2021">{{Cite magazine |last=Singh Bal |first=Hartosh |date=30 November 2020 |title=How the Media Becomes an Arm of the Government |url=https://caravanmagazine.in/media/media-becomes-government-modi-indian-express-republic |url-access=subscription |work=The Caravan |volume=November 2020}}</ref> The term has become a common way to refer to television and other media that are perceived as mouthpieces of the ruling party in India.<ref name="Wire-Ara-FaceHeat-2020" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Zargar|first=Haris|date=10 February 2021|title=New hit on Indian independent media and free press|url=https://www.newframe.com/new-hit-on-indian-independent-media-and-free-press/|access-date=24 March 2021|website=New Frame}}</ref>

== Background ==
''[[TIME]]'' magazine reported that Modi's ascension to national power in 2014 led to the taming of India's media. His rise coincided with a reorganization of the editorial authority of some of India's most important news institutions, particularly national television networks. The previous generation of senior editors, who were viewed as more devoted to India's liberal outlook than the BJP's [[Hindu nationalist]] ideology, were moved out, and new channels and news leaders with devotion to the BJP and Modi were developed. Because of their large state and party advertising budgets, India's state and central governments hold considerable control over media companies.<ref name="May32021">{{Cite magazine|first=Debasish|last=Roy Chowdhury|date=3 May 2021|title=India’s Media Is Partly to Blame for Its COVID Tragedy|url=https://time.com/6033152/india-media-covid-19/|access-date=2021-06-21|magazine=TIME}}</ref> In the 2019-20 fiscal year, the central government alone spent roughly {{INRConvert|1.95|c|year=2020}} on advertisements per day.<ref>{{Cite web|first=Mrityunjay|last=Bose|date=2020-10-31|title=Modi govt spent over Rs 700 crore on advertisements in 2019-20, reveals RTI reply|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/modi-govt-spent-over-rs-700-crore-on-advertisements-in-2019-20-reveals-rti-reply-909571.html|access-date=2021-06-21|website=Deccan Herald}}</ref> Access to power and business favours are additional incentives for the media to continue with the pro-BJP messages. This ensures that bad news never affects the government or goes public. With a few exceptions, the government has made sure that the media outlets that seek government approval for their reporting.<ref name="May32021" />

==Coinage==
The term was coined and popularized by NDTV journalist Ravish Kumar, in reference to the sensationalist and biased Indian print and TV news media supporting the ruling NDA government. The term literally translates to "media sitting on the lap".<ref name="Wire-Ara-FaceHeat-2020" /> In one of his shows, Kumar used silent actors to mime "Godi media". This was acoompanied by miming what the ruling party leaders wanted to listen to, using the Hindi film song "Bago Mein Bahar Hai".<ref>{{Cite web |first=Swati |last=Chaturvedi |date=4 August 2019 |title=Magsaysay award winner Ravish Kumar's journalism is fearless, doesn't monetise hate by peddling a communal agenda |url=https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/magsaysay-award-winner-ravish-kumars-journalism-is-fearless-doesnt-monetise-hate-by-peddling-a-communal-agenda-1.1564905034018 |access-date=28 December 2020 |website=Gulf News}}</ref>

==Usage and popularity==

In 2018, on [[World Press Freedom Day]], many journalists and social activists held a demonstration which protested, among other things, against the "godi media".<ref>[https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/world-press-freedom-day-remove-godi-media-save-democracy-say-journalists-at-a-demonstration-in-delhi "World Press Freedom Day: “Remove Godi media, save democracy,” say journalists at a demonstration in Delhi "], ''[[National Herald]]''</ref> The term was also widely used at the time of the [[Citizenship Amendment Act protests]], and the [[2020–2021 Indian farmers' protest]], with the claim that the protest and the farmers were not being represented fairly.<ref>{{cite news |author=Nidhi Suresh |title=‘Media has lost our trust’: Why protesting farmers are angry with ‘Godi media’ |newspaper=Newslaundry |date=1 December 2020 |url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/12/01/media-has-lost-our-trust-why-are-protesting-farmers-angry-with-godi-media}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media |people= |date=4 December 2020 |title=Farmers versus ‘Godi Media’ (TV Newsance Episode 112) |medium=video |language=English, Hindi|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHYLzdkp0SA |access-date=23 March 2021 |format= |time= |location= |publisher=Newslaundry |quote= |ref=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Priyadarshini |first=Anna |date=2 December 2020 |title=Farmers Are Angry with 'Godi Media' for Demonising Them. TV Channels Double Down |work=Newslaundry |url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/12/02/farmers-are-angry-with-godi-media-for-demonising-them-tv-channels-double-down}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |author=Zainab Sikander |title=BJP, media, MHA — slander on Muslims and Sikhs have a lot in common. Outcome will be too |newspaper=The Print |date=21 December 2020 |url=https://theprint.in/opinion/bjp-media-mha-slander-on-muslims-and-sikhs-have-a-lot-in-common-outcome-will-be-too/570576/}}</ref>

Detractors of Godi media allege that instead of practicing [[Journalism ethics and standards|honest journalism]], such media publishes [[fake news]] and inflammatory stories, which are often untrue, working in the interest of [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] government, corporate and elite sources for their own benefit.<ref name="Wire-Philipose-Backstory-2020" /><ref name="nytimes1">{{Cite news |last1=Goel |first1=Vindu |last2=Gettleman |first2=Jeffrey |date=2 April 2020 |title=Under Modi, India's Press Is Not So Free Anymore |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/02/world/asia/modi-india-press-media.html |access-date=10 February 2021 |authorlink2=Jeffrey Gettleman}}</ref> Media houses and news entities in Godi media include [[Zee News]], [[Times Now]], [[Republic Bharat TV]], [[Republic TV]], [[Aaj Tak]], [[ABP News]], [[Sudarshan News]], [[CNN-News18]], [[India TV]], [[OpIndia]], [[TV Today Network]], etc.<ref name="Caravan-Bal-MediaArmGovt-2021" /><ref>{{cite AV media |people= |date=9 October 2020 |title=Multiple Witness Account Exposes Republic TV Lies On TRP Scam |trans-title= |medium=YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRdD0RQDcWE |access-date=21 December 2020 |format= |time= |location= |publisher=India Today |quote= |ref=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Husain |first=S. K. |date=24 April 2020 |title=Why India's 'Godi Media' Spreads Hatred and Fake News |url=https://clarionindia.net/why-indias-godi-media-spreads-hatred-and-fake-news/ |work=Clarion India |access-date=24 March 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref>

Such media has also routinely exaggerated the BJP government's achievements and either brushed aside over its failures or found ways to blame them on Modi's discontents: the opposition, [[activist]]s, [[Muslims]], [[liberalism|liberals]], [[protesters]], [[Left-wing politics|leftists]], [[non-governmental organisation]]s, and other assorted "anti-nationals."<ref name="May32021" />

[[Rajdeep Sardesai]], one of India’s leading news anchors, said "A large section of the Indian media,”... “has become a lap dog, not a watchdog."<ref name="nytimes1"/>

== See also ==
*[[Fake news in India]]
*[[Manufacturing Consent]]
*[[Media bias]]
*[[Politico-media complex]]
*[[Presstitute]]
*[[Trolley Times]]
*[[Yellow journalism]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book |author=Gagan Deep Chauhan |title=Godi Media: गोदी मीडिया |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YXHpDwAAQBAJ |publisher=सृजन Digital Collections |id=GGKEY:YCCSCZPHTHD}}
*{{cite book |author=Ravish Kumar |title=The Free Voice: On Democracy, Culture and the Nation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rzHPyQEACAAJ |date=10 August 2019 |publisher=Speaking Tiger Books |isbn=978-93-89231-41-0 |edition=Revised and Updated}}
* {{cite web |first=Manisha |last=Pande |date=26 January 2020 |url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/01/26/shaheen-bagh-and-the-spiralling-hostility-against-godi-media |title=Shaheen Bagh and the spiralling hostility against 'Godi Media' |work=[[Newslaundry]]}}
* {{Cite magazine|first=Debasish|last=Roy Chowdhury|date=3 May 2021|title=India’s Media Is Partly to Blame for Its COVID Tragedy|url=https://time.com/6033152/india-media-covid-19/|magazine=TIME}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{wiktionary|Godi media}}
* {{cite AV media |people=Ravish Kumar |date=9 October 2020 |title='Ye godi media ka kaal hai': Ravish Kumar at The Media Rumble |trans-title= |medium=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv6wMHHUeUI |access-date=22 June 2021 |format= |time= |location= |publisher=[[Newslaundry]] |quote= |ref=}}

{{Media of India}}
{{Social issues in India}}
{{Disinformation}}

[[Category:Fake news]]
[[Category:Disinformation]]
[[Category:Misinformation]]
[[Category:Propaganda in India]]
[[Category:Right-wing politics in India]]

Godi media - Revision history

CleanupBot at 05:52, 13 August 2021