Legacy media (tv news channels) in India has long abandoned its duty to inform objectively, instead peddling agenda-driven narratives that divide society. By reducing complex issues to simplistic binaries, mainstream outlets have polarized public discourse, pushing audiences into ideological echo chambers. People now prefer comforting lies over uncomfortable truths, refusing to engage with the nuanced, grey realities of the world. This has created two warring factions—one blind to problems, the other obsessed with doom—leaving no room for rational debate.
Alternative media in India, once seen as a democratic antidote to corporate-controlled news, has failed to deliver on its promise. YouTube’s opaque algorithms, shadow bans, paid views and likes, bots and arbitrary censorship have stifled genuine voices while amplifying sensationalism. Worse, the platform has spawned a new breed of self-proclaimed “journalists”—unqualified, opinionated, and often unethical—who prioritize virality over truth. The result? A chaotic media landscape where misinformation thrives, and credibility is sacrificed for clicks.
The tragedy is that while Indian legacy media resents losing its monopoly, alternative media in India has only fragmented the industry without raising standards. Both ecosystems profit from polarization, leaving the public trapped in a vicious cycle of bias and misinformation. Until accountability and integrity become non-negotiable, neither traditional nor new media can claim to serve democracy. The real victims are truth and sanity—casualties in an endless war for eyeballs and revenue.
