Thread by @mukhia_ji

#Media and #Covid_19
"Ban media for 3 months and things will fall into place".
"Media only shows negativity."

Two lines from an intense discussion on #Media and #Covid_19 in my middle-upper-middle-class colony whastapp group.

These are not new sentiments, but reinforced now.

This 'sentiment' is also talked about by news managers. "Let's show good news, no one wants bad news."

Everyone then tries to do some good news corner or segment in a newspaper or channel, which eventually fades away in a few weeks.

Point is: who are these people who think

a) it's ok to ban media
b) media 'spreads negativity'

Here is what I suspect: they are largely ppl like in my colony WA group. Financially+socially secure, middle-aged and most importantly who believe that the Modi govt has been divined to bring India back to its days of glory.

They are fed on whatsapp and social media, which confirms all their biases and allows them to choose what they want hear and read.

A lot of them use new channels as entertainment. So, Republic and Zee are great favourites: they fulfil biases and entertain.

They also seethe with anger about TV and social media handles constantly showing #MigrantWorkers on the roads. They will say "railtracks are not meant for sleeping". They will also say "poor can't be entitled and ask for more".

Because all of this exposes their self-image of an

India that in their minds is now a vishwa-guru and international player. Like PB Mehta said: workers on the roads create embarrassment, not empathy.

So media continues to feed this uncritically narrative which readers/viewers which lap up.

And are ok with media being banned.