"I Am Mr McAdams!" State Of Indian TV Media Draws Chuckles And Shame

Flabbergasted, a panellist on a major Indian television news channel proclaimed, "I am Mr McAdams!" putting an end to the anchor's tirade. Times Now's Rahul Shivshankar had, up until then, been berating the other panellist under McAdams' name in a major case of mistaken identity. This goof-up has been immortalised by memes on the internet.

The panel, comprising Daniel McAdams of the Ron Paul Institute and Bohdan Nahaylo of Kyiv Times newspaper, was hosted by Shivshankar on the topic #UkraineLastStand on a news debate Wednesday night. The participants were discussing the Russia-Ukraine war that began a week ago when Russia began invading its neighbouring country.

As per a video snippet of the debate going viral, Nahaylo was putting a point across when Shivshankar cut in, asking "Mr McAdams" to "take a chill pill." The anchor continued to give notes to Mr McAdams on how he should not be "lecturing us in India" when all the while the real Mr McAdams had been sitting silent.

It was a good two minutes before McAdams could cut in and introduce himself.

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That the internet could unite for a collective facepalm in the middle of a war was a feat only the Indian television media could have achieved. People are confused as to whether Shivshankar's bungle warrants laughter or shame. Mind you, this is a broadcast that would present the state of Indian news on a world stage.

On television news, the lens has shifted radically from coverage of the fiery Uttar Pradesh elections to the war in Eastern Europe. Visuals of devastation in Ukraine, bombs destroying buildings and in the process, hundreds of lives, are splashed across screens all day. Significance is being given to the stories of Indian students - numbered at 20,000 - stuck in and trying to make it out of the warzone. However, only few channels have reporters on-ground in Ukraine while others are relying on second-hand data to prop up their news reports.

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One needs to question, is all of our media treating the grave issue with as much sensitivity and professionalism as it warrants? "Flower nahin, fire hai Putin," a headline on a Hindi news channel screamed.

In another incident, an anchor on a prominent English news channel was recently 'schooled' by a panellist from Lisbon while discussing the Russia-Ukraine war. "I would like to ask you to de-escalate your language. You are speaking in very hyper-tense words and you're using very emotive language..." the panellist said.

"I am shocked that your editorial position is so prejudicial towards the ongoing crisis... You are against the interests of your country," he added.

Of late, the sensationalist tone of several Indian television news channels has distinctively stood out. Whether on the hijab row in Karnataka or the COVID-19 second wave crisis in the country, news channels have been accused by citizens of approaching sensitive subjects with clear biases that are in breach of journalistic ethics of objectivity. Here are five other recent times journalism in India took a fall.

Can we afford to lose ethical direction in reporting? Especially at a time when India is on the world stage and in the global spotlight, given the country's neutral stand on the war, should our media play the fool with crude antics that stake credibility? There is a war underway and lives are jeopardised. Indian media would do well to read the room and practice some sobriety.

Views expressed are the author's own.