When News Turns Negative: Early Bias and Unbalanced Criticism in Indian Media

Introduction

India’s press has a proud legacy. From the struggle for Independence to the Emergency of 1975, journalists have stood up to power and defended civil liberties. Yet in recent years, the media landscape has become fragmented. A section of reporters appears to prioritise negativity, showing early bias, and criticising governments without thorough investigation. This is not just a perception; surveys and case studies indicate growing public dissatisfaction with media fairness.

A Short History of Indian Journalism’s Credibility

Pre-Independence Era: Newspapers such as The Hindu, Amrita Bazar Patrika and Kesari fought colonial censorship.

Emergency (1975-77): Mainstream media faced censorship but also emerged as a symbol of resistance.

Post-Liberalisation (1990s): Satellite TV expanded choices but also introduced competition and “breaking news” culture.

Present Day: Hundreds of TV channels, online portals and social media influencers fight for attention, often prioritising controversy over substance.

The Problem of Premature Bias

Many Indian news outlets now operate 24×7 and rely heavily on social media metrics. This environment rewards speed over verification. In high-stakes political stories, especially about government policies or decisions, some reporters jump to conclusions before facts are clear. For example:

Economic Policies: Before the full rollout of GST in 2017, some outlets branded it a disaster. Later, with adjustments, GST became India’s second-largest source of tax revenue.

Digital Initiatives: Schemes like Aadhaar and UPI were initially portrayed as unworkable or privacy disasters. Today they are case studies for global fintech adoption.

While criticism of implementation is legitimate, prematurely framing policies as failures distorts public understanding.

Public Trust in Indian Media — The Numbers

Reuters Institute Digital News Report (2024): Trust in news in India fell from 66% in 2020 to around 48% in 2024. Although still higher than many Western countries, the downward trend indicates skepticism.

Lokniti-CSDS Surveys: Show a growing divide between urban and rural audiences about how they perceive TV debates, with many citing “excessive sensationalism” as the main reason for mistrust.

Case Studies of Over-Negativity

1. Demonetisation (2016): While the policy was highly disruptive, some channels declared it “the end of the Indian economy” within days. Actual GDP growth slowed but did not collapse; digital payments surged.

2. COVID-19 Vaccination Drive (2021): Early criticism painted India’s vaccine rollout as chaotic. Within months, India administered over 2 billion doses — one of the largest drives globally — and exported vaccines under “Vaccine Maitri.”

3. Infrastructure Projects: Many new expressways, metro expansions and renewable energy projects received little positive coverage compared to controversies about land acquisition or delays.

Why It Happens

Competition for TRPs and Clicks: Sensational headlines generate more engagement than balanced reports.

Ideological Polarisation: Outlets sometimes adopt an explicit or implicit political stance to please their audience base.

Social Media Virality: Stories that provoke outrage spread faster than nuanced analysis.

Consequences of Unbalanced Criticism

Policy Paralysis: Governments may hesitate to try bold reforms fearing media backlash.

Polarised Audiences: Citizens consume only media that aligns with their worldview, weakening shared facts.

Damage to Journalism’s Credibility: Trust declines, and genuine investigative work gets overshadowed.

The Way Forward — Building Responsible Media in India

1. Stricter Fact-Checking: Independent fact-checkers and ombudsmen should be strengthened.

2. Transparency of Funding and Ownership: Outlets should disclose affiliations to reduce perceived bias.

3. Balanced Reporting Training: Journalism schools can stress impartiality and evidence-based critique.

4. Public Media Literacy: Citizens should verify claims and support outlets with credible track records.

5. Highlighting Positives Too: Coverage of policy successes alongside failures creates a fuller picture.

Conclusion

Criticism of government policies is essential in a democracy like India. But when criticism becomes automatic, biased or excessively negative without proportionate evidence, it undermines both governance and journalism. The Indian press has the talent, reach and legacy to restore public trust — but it must recommit to accuracy, balance and context.

India doesn’t need cheerleading media, nor a hostile press by default. It needs responsible journalism that questions power while also informing citizens fairly. Only then can the media reclaim its role as the fourth pillar of the world’s largest democracy.