New Delhi: A US based journalist and Director of Center for Global Peace Journalism at Park University USA, Steven Youngblood Friday termed Indian news channels as “right-wing propaganda machines” and compared them with Fox News USA for their ‘conservative bias’ and 'judgmental reporting'.
“When I landed here I started following the television news and newspaper reportage. And let me tell you honestly I was shocked after watching Indian news channels.
"I think they have started following FoxNews and its unethical journalistic practices for which it has been criticized across the globe. Like some of the American news channels Indian media is also indulging in selective bias and judgmental reporting,” he said.
“Latest example occurred on Wednesday in a neighboring state, Punjab, where 10 people were killed during an attack in Gurdaspur. Three attackers were also killed after a prolonged standoff.
"The coverage of this event on News X, Times Now, and CNN-IBN was reminiscent of American cable news coverage of mass shootings or attacks. I think the Indian cable coverage was sensational, one sided, finger-pointing, and distorted.
"This coverage I viewed last night was irresponsible, pointing the finger of blame at Pakistan immediately after the attack and before any investigation was conducted,” he said.
He termed screaming animated graphics on Times Now announcing “Attackers were from Pakistan” before this was proven as “ridiculous.”
“The other channels were only a bit more subtle, announcing in their graphics ‘Pak(istan) hand nailed?’ and ‘Pak hand?’. Not only were no voices advocating calm or peace heard, the cable coverage here even went as far as to dismiss efforts at peace (India pays price for appeasement’, Soft on India haters,’ ‘Talks or Terror: Time to Decide.’).
"Finally, although the Pakistan foreign minister condemned the attack, only CNN-IBN mentioned this during my 90 minutes of viewing, and that mention was only a 10-second flashing of a graphic,” Youngblood said.
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