NEW DELHI, June 8: India’s mainstream news media, once celebrated for their fearless reporting and democratic spirit, are now facing a crisis of credibility that has drawn concern from international observers, rights organizations, and even their journalists. The decline is not just a matter of perception but is playing out in real time, with recent events exposing deep-rooted issues of sensationalism, political alignment, and the unchecked spread of misinformation. The latest wave of misinformation occurred against the backdrop of escalated India–Pakistan military tensions. Indian mainstream media like Aaj Tak, Zee News, NDTV, and Times Now were accused of disseminating unverified videos, AI-generated images, and false casualty figures. A report by a fake‑news watchdog exposed multiple instances of such errors—old or unrelated images being misrepresented as evidence of the Pahalgam tragedy

Over the past decade, India’s largest news channels and newspapers have come under fire for aligning too closely with propaganda narratives and sidelining dissenting voices. The shift has raised alarms about the erosion of press freedom in the world’s largest democracy. According to Reporters Without Borders, India now ranks 159 out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index—its lowest position ever. “India’s media has gradually turned into an echo chamber for the state,” a senior RSF analyst observed, highlighting the growing skepticism both domestically and abroad.

Behind this transformation lies a media industry dominated by powerful conglomerates with deep political and financial stakes. Critics argue that this ownership structure has compromised editorial independence, replacing investigative journalism with polarizing debates, celebrity coverage, and sensational rhetoric. The result is a press that increasingly prioritizes loyalty over accountability, as noted by a foreign correspondent based in New Delhi.

The dangers of this new media reality were laid bare during a recent military standoff between India and Pakistan. In the early hours of May 9, a WhatsApp alert from the Indian public broadcaster falsely claimed that Pakistan’s army chief had been arrested in a coup. The message was quickly picked up by an Indian journalist, broadcast across major news channels, and began trending on social media. The entire story was fabricated; no coup had occurred, and the supposed “arrested” general was soon promoted.

This incident was not an isolated lapse. During the crisis, Indian newsrooms became saturated with unverified claims and outright fabrications, shaping public perception at a time of heightened national security tensions. Channels broadcast images from unrelated conflicts, repurposed visuals from plane crashes and video games, and reported dramatic victories without evidence. Former Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao described the environment as one of “hypernationalism and abnormal triumphalism,” fueled by a lack of official information and a rush to fill the vacuum with spectacle.

Media critic Manisha Pande of Newslaundry called it “the most dangerous version of what a section of TV news channels have been doing for a decade … completely unchecked.” Journalists admitted to airing stories based on unverified WhatsApp messages and influencer posts, while anchors declared dramatic developments with no factual basis.

The fallout from these episodes has been profound. The unchecked spread of misinformation and the willingness to prioritize sensationalism over verification have eroded public trust in mainstream media, both in India and internationally. Even as Pakistani media engaged in its own misinformation campaigns, the Indian press’s lapses were particularly glaring given its democratic heritage.

Yet, amid the spectacle, a core group of Indian journalists and independent platforms—such as The Wire, Scroll.in, and Article 14—continue to uphold the values of rigorous, ethical reporting, often at great personal and professional risk. Global outlets like The New York Times, BBC, and Al Jazeera have also expanded their India coverage, offering alternative perspectives and counter-narratives.

As India approaches future elections and navigates complex domestic and global challenges, the question remains: Can its mainstream media reassert its independence and restore public trust, or will it continue its drift into partisanship and spectacle? The answer may well determine not just the fate of the press, but the health of Indian democracy itself.