Development writer and international negotiations watcher Biraj Swain discusses with Urmilesh of Media Manthan of Rajya Sabha TV, media critic Vineet Kumar of Mandi Mein Media fame, Siddharth Bhatia-founding editor The Wire, Sanjay Rajoura of Aisi Taisi Democracy, Bidisha Pillai of SAVE the Children India and Abhinandan Sekhri on Indian media’s coverage of the global development summits which influence our lives and shared destinies. They take stock of the content, quality and narrative of the coverage in English and Hindi mainstream media and alternate media, print media and broadcast media. They discuss the challenges and the lack of diversity in the newsrooms. They discuss the reality of the oft-used resource crunch argument for lack of coverage. They also call for greater engagement of news consumers in shaping and influencing content. They conclude with some crystal ball gazing on the possibilities and potential that new media and alternate media provides for development and global summits’ reportage and if improvement in journalists’ working conditions in news rooms would help.

References:

1. The Indian media’s lack-lustre coverage of an important trade summit: Why so quiet on the WTO front?
2. Doesn’t climate change affect Hindi readers?
3. Behind the headlines: Was the climate deal a success?
4. Of negotiators, reporters and selective readings: How COP 21 was reported in Indian media?
5. Environmental reporting in digital media
6. The Untold Story of Dalit Journalists
7. Laprek: Laghu Prem Katha, Vineet Kumar on Harman Radio Australia
8. In America, only the rich can afford to write about poverty
9. These days hacks are nobs
10. Tarantino: A familiar story of minorities chained
11. Expensive cities are killing creativity