#55 The Rise of Independent Journalism Amid Elections
This week, election season finally came to a close and through all the phases of campaigning, polling, and results, we saw more and more people turning to independent media platforms for news.
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This election season was unlike any other. This year, we have increasingly seen reports of people losing faith in traditional media and turning towards social media for their news. This is especially concerning during elections when the masses are more susceptible to fake news.
In this context of public distrust of mainstream media, independent media platforms have stepped up to fill this void and provide in-depth coverage of the elections in real-time. India’s leading independent outlets like The Wire, The News Minute, Scroll, News Laundry, and Caravan joined forces, pooling their resources, to provide comprehensive election results coverage. Their aim was to amplify their collective voice and offer an alternative, independent perspective to the mainstream media.
Many viewers tuned into their live stream on 4th June, from 7:30 am till 3 pm, which announced and analysed the results. The journalists from these organisations also conducted interviews, panel discussions, and dissected real-time results.
It’s not surprising that users have turned to independent online platforms instead of TV channels.
This election season, traditional media platforms in India—both print and broadcast channels— displayed a worrying trend of fearmongering and a pronounced bias in reporting. One major reason for this trend can be attributed to their financial structure; particularly, their reliance on ad revenue. This financial dependence compromises editorial independence, leading to skewed reporting that favours certain political agendas over others.
This led to blatantly skewed exit poll figures, which resulted in the Indian stock market seeing a sharp rally on Monday. However, as poll results rolled in early on Tuesday, Nifty experienced its largest single-day drop since March 2020, plummeting up to 8.5% intraday, a fall reminiscent of the market turmoil of the COVID-19 crisis.
Independent outlets rely on a subscription model, as opposed to one focused on advertisements. This model, while not without its own challenges, ensures unbiased reporting by eliminating the influence of ad revenue on editorial decisions. Readers who subscribe to these digital platforms do so because they value the integrity, sharpness and depth of the journalism provided.
Multi-lingual, digital-first regional news platforms like Catch News, NewsClick, and The News Minute have successfully attracted a dedicated audience. Similarly, business and finance-focused platforms like Moneycontrol.com, The Ken, Inc42, and Your Story have built a loyal subscriber base with their in-depth coverage and expertise.
The growing willingness of people to pay for digital platform subscriptions demonstrates a strong appreciation for independent journalism in India. This shift highlights the important role digital platforms now play in the country's press landscape. Contrary to the belief that the digital media industry is struggling due to a lack of paying subscribers, this trend shows that readers are indeed willing to support quality journalism financially.
In fact, digital news subscriptions reached 2 billion rupees in 2023, primarily driven by premium and exclusive content, and it is expected to double to 4 billion rupees by 2026. This support indicates that digital media is thriving, as audiences recognise and value the in-depth and unbiased reporting these platforms offer.
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