Post Independence Nehruvian Era

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Post Independence Nehruvian Era

Right from the start, Press in India had been subjected to intense scrutiny and restrictions by the colonial rulers

The Indian press which initially started as a means to oppose social and religious biases slowly became a weapon of nationalist cause

Seema Narendran, Ramnarain Ruia College

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The second world war years (1939 – 1945),

were very trying for the Indian Press

The Nationalist newspapers especially

faced acute stress and had to struggle for

its survival

They functioned under severe restrictions

and fought hard for country’s independence

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1st wave of Indian freedom

The country rejoiced its freedom

Press celebrated Indian freedom, for which it had fought

shoulder to shoulder with the nationalist forces and made

enormous sacrifices, braved persecution of the erstwhile

colonial rulers

The Hindu described the scene, “After centuries of storm and

stress, the ship of Indian freedom has finally come to the

port”

Press was buoyant and, sympathetic and cooperative with the

new Government.

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Change in the tone of the Press

The newly formed government under a deluge of

problems- instability and strife, fear and chaos

One section of Press- hangover of colonial rule :

Indulged in fanning communal passions through

scurrilous writings

A Bengali editor, who adopted a communal policy

stated, that playing down riots and disturbances

curbed his sales

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After the country became Independent British owners of the newspapers like The Times of India left the country, handing over the businesses to Indian companies.

Editors of pro-freedom struggle Indian newspapers had anti-British stance till 1947.

These newspapers gradually changed their approach; some became pro-establishment

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Another section, the major chunk, criticized the

Government.

Press became an opposition force, as it was during

the British regime

Since Nehru was faced with hardly any opposition,

the Press took upon itself to function as an unofficial

opposition

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Journalism- profit making business

Also, transformation of newspaper’s into a business

enterprise had begun

The new proprietors were businessmen keenly

observing the finances & profits of the paper

Country’s interests ceased to be important for Press

Sensational journalism started growing

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Leader’s saddened

Leaders who earlier shared good rapport with the Press

now saddened

Nehru- earliest leader to openly voice his displeasure

1952, Took a dig at editors while addressing AINEC (All

India Newspaper Editors Conference )

1959, attacked the Press by questioning the bona fides of

the editors

Described the Press as the “product & symbol of private

enterprise” and called the Editor’s “champions against

state control and regulation”

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Nehru disheartened

Ironical- Press gave Nehru demigod status before

independence

Nehru was always extensively covered, lot of column space

His speeches- reported at length, verbatim

His statements- treated as news of great importance

Nehru himself wrote many articles and features

Hence, Nehru shocked by the criticism made by the

newspapers against the policies initiated by his

Government.

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The experience of colonial rule in general and the repressive press laws in place during much of the British Raj in particular endowed the indigenous press with what has been described as “reforming and crusading zeal”.

However, in the years immediately following Independence, the press more or less gave up its earlier adversarial role

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The first major break with that tradition came in 1975 when the third prime minister, Indira Gandhi, declared a state of Internal Emergency, suspending fundamental rights, including the freedom of speech and expression.

On the night of June 25/26, when the Emergency was proclaimed, the authorities shut off power supply to Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi’s equivalent of Fleet Street.

Waking up to censorship for the first time in free India, the Indian press witnessed a different face of the post-Independence State.

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Reporting of all domestic and international news was prohibited.

The government expelled several foreign correspondents (mainly American and British) and withdrew accreditation from more than 40 Indian reporters who normally covered the capital.

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Many journalists were jailed and others lost their jobs because of their opposition to the Emergency and related matters.

However, this experience of censorship and intimidation did not result in strong and sustained resistance of the kind seen during British rule, especially within the mainstream or establishment press, although there were some notable exceptions, chiefly among small publications.

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Nevertheless the Emergency experience, short-lived as it was, proved to be a turning point in the history of Indian journalism.

The deprivation of civil liberties and suspension of democratic rights during the Emergency led to more public and media interest in human rights and related issues.

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A more vigorous, investigative mode of newsgathering and writing came into vogue after the lifting of the Emergency in 1977

A magazine boom occurred in India, as newly founded newsmagazines like India Today capitalised on Indian readers` unfulfilled requirements for news and other information during the Emergency years of 1975 to 1977, when press freedom was revoked.

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A number of news magazines contributed to the magazine boom that characterised the 1980s.

Detailed, investigative news coverage by magazines provided an attractive alternative to most newspaper coverage.

Because of improvements in printing technology and the sale of commercial advertising, especially color advertisements, the appeal of magazines was great.

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The press gained in tangible ways from these developments: in three years from 1976 to 1979, newspaper circulation rose by 40% for daily newspapers and 34% for periodicals.

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The ninetie’s

Ever since the process of liberalisation began in India, in the 90’s there has a been a consistent growth in media, particularly electronic media in the country.

Consistent commitment to economic reforms and opening up of the economy even to foreign media has triggered this.

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Mass media in India proliferated in leaps and bounds since 2003 in turns of size.

There has been a proliferation of news bulletins on various television channels in the last couple of years.

The big daily newspapers have further increased their circulation and readership.

Radio and cinema got revived in the last couple of years.

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The turnover of media sector is more than Rs.400 billion and growing at around 18 percent per year.

And, as a result, media is identified as among the top five priority sectors for investment.

Indian mass media now is not dominated by Government, as in the earlier decades.

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The era of liberalisation brought with it deregulation and the opening up of the Indian media to international media content

The quality and content of news changed


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Reach of Mass Media

Overall, Television today reaches nearly 50 percent of population of adult (about 350 million) against about 35 percent (about 200 million) of newspapers of all periodicity.

Even in rural India, print media reaches about a quarter of population against about 45 percent reached by television.

English publications hardly have 10 percent readers.

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Readership for magazines works out to hardly one out of every five and there has been a decline in magazines more recently.

TV has slowed down the growth of newspapers marginally but has added to the competition and brought in more optimising efforts.

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Post Independence Nehruvian Era

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