ABSTRACT
India has a booming economy and the largest media industry in the world. As digital technology and social media change the shape of news and bring more participation and consumption from large remote populations, the role of television journalists in India is evolving alongside the numbers and diversity of consumers. In-depth interviews with 18 prominent TV news reporters reveal shifts in journalists’ traditional roles, work ethics, professional standards, technological tools, and role in society, as they overcome barriers such as religious intolerance, language differences, class disparities, and workplace challenges from increasingly hegemonic media corporations. TV news is still a young industry in India and has adapted quickly to social media and attracting young consumers. Findings include the tendency of news to be more sensationalized; reporters are less trained at on-site reporting and fact-checking, and new channels in regional languages are proliferating and growing.
