1 week ago
Why Former NDTV Journalist Says Indian TV News Is Unwatchable
Maya Sharma used to watch television news every day because she worked in the industry and wanted to know what was happening.
Now she usually watches it only during major live events.
She says many news channels make ordinary stories seem like emergencies.
The screens often show flashing text, advertisements and several moving images at once.
Anchors may shout or argue instead of calmly explaining the facts.
Other former journalists and viewers quoted in the article describe the news as stressful, exaggerated and difficult to understand.
They say guests sometimes cannot answer because anchors interrupt or overpower them.
Sharma believes people are choosing newspapers and online news platforms because they want clearer and more trustworthy information.
Maya Sharma says many viewers have stopped watching Indian television news, including her own daily viewing.
She attributes the shift to sensational presentation, constant “Breaking News” labels, visual overload and loud anchors.
Former broadcasters Rini Simon Khanna, Jennifer Arul and Haimanti Bhattacharya also criticize television news as noisy, stressful or exaggerated.
Pallavi Aiyar says news bulletins can feel like entertainment, leaving viewers energized but unclear about the actual information.
Sharma contrasts current coverage with NDTV’s earlier advice to ask tough questions politely and avoid turning interviews into arguments.
- Who
- Former NDTV journalist Maya Sharma, along with several former Indian television news professionals and viewers quoted by her.
- What
- The article examines why many people, including Sharma, have stopped watching Indian television news regularly.
- Where
- India, particularly its English-language television news sector.
- When
- In recent years, after Indian private television news channels multiplied and their presentation styles changed.
- Why
- The article attributes the decline in viewership to sensationalism, visual and auditory overload, shouting, perceived agendas, exaggerated commentary and a lack of clear factual reporting.
Key facts
- Author
- Maya Sharma, a former NDTV journalist
- Main change
- Many people who once watched television news daily now avoid it altogether.
- Current viewing pattern
- Sharma says she generally watches Indian television news only during major live events.
- Common criticisms
- The article cites manufactured excitement, hysteria, constant breaking-news banners, shouting and exaggerated comments.
- Alternative sources
- Rini Simon Khanna says she uses multiple online news platforms and newspapers, and rarely watches live bulletins except on BBC or CNN.
- Former NDTV guidance
- Ahead of the 1991 elections, NDTV advised reporters to ask tough questions politely and avoid arguments or fights.
Quotes
Haimanti Bhattacharya
A former Kolkata Doordarshan newsroom employee who later moved to the United States.
“No. I read stories on multiple news platforms on the net or newspapers. Very rarely do I watch a live bulletin unless it is BBC or CNN. (Indian TV news today) has become noisy, explosive, stressful and non-factual.”
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“I feel so lost when I go home and attempt to watch the news … the anchors are shouting at the audience. I feel that they think that all of the audience is hard of hearing.”
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Sources
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