Omkar Khandekar Profile picture
Producer at @NPR. @MBID_IGMN & @CheveningFCDO fellow. Recipient of the Ramnath Goenka Award. Words in BBC, Al Jazeera, Mint, Caravan, The Morning Context.
Mar 28, 2023 4 tweets 2 min read
Today's story on NBDSA, India's top TV news regulator, had some priceless quotes by the sharpest media watchers and intellectuals. A short thread.
themorningcontext.com/chaos/why-indi… "Those who serve communal venom in the name of news are talentless hacks," @MnshaP told me. "Some of them may have never even stepped out of their studios to report. The only way they can rise up is by speaking the language of trolls that align with ruling party."
Mar 28, 2023 5 tweets 2 min read
I analysed last 5 years of complaints filed against TV news channels to India's TV news regulator. The major find: some of the top channels are also the top violators of the codes for ethical journalism. The most common complaint was vilification of Muslims and Christians. Offenders include some prominent anchors: Aman Chopra (News18 India), Rahul Shivshankar (Times Now), Deepak Chaurasia (then at News Nation) and Sudhir Chaudhary (then at Zee News).
Feb 3, 2023 6 tweets 3 min read
Since 2018, @joyopal and a team of researchers studied Twitter discourse by Indian public figures. They found how BJP succeeded in cultivating goodwill among a large number of them using a carrot-and-stick approach. A thread.
themorningcontext.com/internet/how-b… Compared to their US counterparts, Indian sportspersons seldom take positions on political and social issues. When they do, it’s often to endorse the PM or the government’s initiatives. The Twitter activity spikes most on PM Modi's birthday.
Sep 3, 2022 6 tweets 3 min read
🧵| Buses are the most preferred mode of public transport across India. Yet, the bus fleets in most cities of India have remained stagnant over the years. Why is that? And why should you care?
Charts by @arkgrafix. The biggest reason: a fund-crunch. Public buses bleed hundreds of crores each year. Staff and fuel costs are the biggest expense. Operators say it leaves them little to upgrade and modernize the fleet.
Sep 2, 2022 5 tweets 2 min read
The Supreme Court yesterday heard a petition by BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay to 'free' temples from state control. But like its stand on Delhi's liquor policy, the BJP's position on temples is full of double standards. Wrote about it earlier this year.
themorningcontext.com/chaos/why-cont… My favourite part is an anecdote from 1984, when a BJP member opposed a bill to take over temples in Himachal Pradesh:
'His argument that the govt was hurting Hindu sentiments was received with derisive laughter even from his own partymen, forcing him to quietly leave the house.'
Dec 24, 2019 8 tweets 3 min read
Thread | This is for anyone claiming the #CAA solves the problems of minority communities in India's Muslim neighbours. Last week, I spoke to those still living in the three countries. None of them wanted to leave. But everyone was on the edge now. (1/5) It was evident why. Everytime India has acted against its minorities (Muslims), the minorities in these three countries (mainly Hindus and Sikhs) have paid for it. When Babri masjid was demolished, temples and gurudwaras in Pak and B'desh were burnt.