Godi media (Hindi pronunciation:[ɡoːdiː]; lit.'media sitting on lap'; idiomatic equivalent: 'lapdog media';)[1][2][3][4] is a pejorative term coined and popularised by veteran journalist Ravish Kumar for the "sensationalist and biased Indian print and TV news media, which supports the ruling BJP led NDA government (since 2014)".[5][6][7] The term is a pun on the name of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has become a common way to refer to television and other media that are perceived as "mouthpieces" of the leading party of the NDA, the Bharatiya Janata Party.[6][8]
As per an opinion piece by Debasish Roy Chowdhury for Time magazine, Modi's ascension to national power, in 2014, led to the taming of India's media. His rise coincided with a reorganisation of the editorial authority of some of India's most important news institutions, particularly national television networks. The previous generation of senior editors, who were viewed as more devoted to India's liberal outlook than the BJP's Hindu nationalist ideology, were moved out, and new channels and news leaders with devotion to the BJP and Modi were developed. Because of their large state and party advertising budgets, India's state and central governments hold considerable control over media companies.[9] In the 2019-20 fiscal year, the central government alone spent roughly ₹1.95 crore (equivalent to ₹2.3 crore or US$280,000 in 2023) on advertisements per day.[10] Access to power and business favours are additional incentives for the media to continue with the pro-BJP messages. This ensures that bad news never affects the government or goes public. With a few exceptions, the government has made sure that the media outlets seek government approval for their reporting.[9]
The phenomenon of Godi Media is not unique to India. Media bias and the influence of political power on journalism are global concerns. A thematic comparison of Kazuo Ishiguro's novels and the post-2014 Indian media highlights the failure of individuals not taking a stand against the tide of the times and instead going with the flow.[11] This interdisciplinary approach situates the issue of Godi Media in a broader, global context.[2]
The term was coined and popularised by a veteran journalist Ravish Kumar, about the sensationalist and biased Indian print and TV news media supporting the NDA government. The term translates to "media sitting on the lap".[6][12] In one of his shows, Kumar used silent actors to mime "godi media". This was accompanied by miming what the currently ruling party leaders wanted to listen to, using the Hindi film song "Bagon Mein Bahar Hai".[13]
In the run-up to the 2024 general elections, the Congress led Opposition alliance had decided to boycott talkshows hoisted by 14 anchors including Goswami & others like Amish Devgan, Shiv Aroor & Sudhir Chaudhury, all of whom were renowned for their sycophancy towards the BJP & were considered as the representative faces of "godi media".[27] Another anchor, Rajat Sharma, who became renowned for his flattery of Narendra Modi during the elections, was caught on live camera hurling derogatory abuses towards a Congress spokesperson.[28]
