Article image

NL Interview: N Ram on censorship, threats to press freedom, and govt ad cuts in India

The director of the Hindu Publishing Group speaks about the use of central agencies against media houses and journalists' concerns over the new IT rules.

WrittenBy:NL Team
Date:
   

N Ram, the director of the Hindu Publishing Group, speaks to Newslaundry’s Tanishka Sodhi about the major threats to freedom of press in India today.

“This kind of pressure we have not seen in recent decades,” he said. “We are the founding and permanent members of this club of shame; members of the club are those countries where journalists are murdered in connection with their work.”

N Ram discusses censorship ailing the press, the use of central agencies against media houses, journalists’ concerns around the new IT rules, and the perils of businessmen taking over news channels.

He also details how the Rajiv Gandhi government and Narendra Modi government withdrew advertising from the Hindu after the Bofors scam and Rafale scam, respectively.

Watch. 

Subscribe now to unlock the story


paywall image

Why should I pay for news?

Independent journalism is not possible until you pitch in. We have seen what happens in ad-funded models: Journalism takes a backseat and gets sacrificed at the altar of clicks and TRPs.

Stories like these cost perseverance, time, and resources. Subscribe now to power our journalism.

Disruptor

Plan type

$90

Annual auto-renew

  • checkPaywall stories on both Newslaundry and The News Minute
  • checkStronger together merch – Fridge magnets and laptop stickers
  • checkPriority access to all meet ups and events, including The Media Rumble
  • checkAll subscriber-only interaction – NL Chatbox and monthly editorial call with the team
  • closeRSS feed of all paywall podcasts
  • closeFour free one-month NL-TNM gift subscriptions

Game Changer

Plan type

$250

Annual auto-renew

  • checkPaywall stories on both Newslaundry and The News Minute
  • checkRSS feed of all paywall podcasts
  • checkStronger together merch – Fridge magnets, laptop stickers, mug
  • checkPriority access to all meet ups and events, including The Media Rumble
  • checkAll subscriber-only interaction – NL Chatbox and monthly editorial call with the team
  • checkFour free one-month NL-TNM gift subscriptions

Already a subscriber? Login

You may also like