An OSINT handle shared a detailed thread on their official X handle that will expose global media’s propaganda against India. In the first of the series, they expose the BBC and the thread has been reproduced here for our readers.

BBC is one usual offender with a long history of peddling biased narratives when it comes to reporting on India—from CAA, Article 370 & Kashmir, etc.
BBC’s reports frequently paint Indian riots & protests in communal colors. BBC remains a brazen propaganda portal that focuses on narratives that divide and polarize.

And not once, but ad nauseam times, the portal has been caught peddling fake news & propaganda.

BBC’s reporting on India often reeks of a colonial hangover—selective negativity, political bias, & cultural insensitivity. From their choice of language, headlines, & editorial tone in their reporting to extend its modern imperialistic influence.
In the last few years, the BBC has been exposed for its twisted and slanted narratives for reporting on issues like the CAA to Article 370, & Kashmir, & giving sympathetic coverage to radical groups & separatist movements like the Khalistani movement.
Citizenship (Amendment) Act aims to provide refuge to minorities facing persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh, & Afghanistan. It doesn’t strip any Indian of their citizenship!

But BBC termed it “anti-Muslim” & amplified global criticism, ignoring the govt’s clarifications.

In its coverage of the anti-CAA Delhi riots, BBC ignored initial attacks on police & preplanned violence by some anti-CAA protestors, which police investigations revealed. Instead, they framed it as a one-sided narrative, portraying the government as oppressive!
Article 370’s abrogation integrated J&K into India, extended equal rights, & boosted development. BBC called it “Hindu nationalist ideology,” peddled Pakistan’s stance, & ignored the Indian govt’s efforts to foster peace, & unity & curb Pak-sponsored terrorism in Kashmir.
BBC also targeted the move of the abrogation of Article 370 peddling narratives of repression, Censorship of the Press, & not reform. While ignoring India’s Supreme Court’s validation of the move.

BBC’s animosity against the Indian Govt isn’t limited here. There’s more.
BBC’s take on the Khalistan issue has been skewed for years. For years, BBC has been on a spree of whitewashing the terrorism aspect of the Khalistani issue. Terms like ‘Sikh activists’ or ‘separatists’ for Khalistanis including Gurpatwant Singh Pannun & Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Not long ago, in Nov 2023, BBC had lapped up a shoddy piece of disinformation report shared to them EXCLUSIVELY by a UK-based Centre for Information Resilience (CIR) whose founders have been linked to the UK government.

The report is essentially a work of linguistic jugglery combined with graphical gimmicks with bold assertions & shallow claims to expose a set of 33 ‘Sock Puppet’ social media handles, running a ‘large-scale disinformation’ campaign on social media.

The report deliberately equates the farmers’ protests & Khalistan movement (also described as ‘Sikh Independence’) & that they largely constitute the ‘Sikh Political interests’ in India. Similar bias was recurring in the entirety of that propaganda report!

Most recently, BBC was also criticized for its reporting on the Mahakumbh Mela, for using insensitive choice words showing the lack of cultural & religious awareness. Terms & phrases like “bathing spectacle led by naked ash-smeared ascetics,” tended to mock the spiritual significance of the event.

Following the backlash, BBC changed the headline, removing “naked” and altering “ascetics” to “holy men.” In contrast, BBC’s reporting on European vents like the “Nudefest” is reported as “Europe’s largest naturist festival” exposes BBC for its cultural & religious bias.

The story gets more interesting!

In Feb 2023, BBC released a documentary, “India- the Modi Question” accusing the Indian PM of being complicit in the 2002 Gujarat riots when he was the CM of Gujarat.

The documentary was released at a time to possibly tamper with political discourse as India geared up for its general elections, which could be a clear ploy for maneuvering the political discourse in India. The documentary, which was laced with statements from anti-govt voices, at the same time refrained from mentioning that in June 2022, the Supreme Court of India upheld the SIT clean chit to the Indian PM in the 2002 Gujarat riot case & dismissed a plea in the case.

Released ahead of India’s 2024 elections. Coincidence?

BBC’s documentary portrayed Modi’s policies as “ethnic cleansing,” rehashing old, debunked narratives while ignoring the complex context of the riots, including the Godhra train attack.

In Feb 2023, BBC offices in India were raided by the Income Tax department over tax irregularities. The news was portrayed as an act of intimidation of Press Freedom and harassment of the press in India by several global media.

Speaking of election interference, BBC’s reporting before Lok Sabha 2024 focused mainly on Muslim marginalization under BJP rule. BBC pushed narratives, including CAA misinformation & Islamophobia by ruling the ruling party.

While the BBC was peddling such narratives, BBC Hindi ran ads on Facebook for India’s election news. A part of it included promoting stories that could create communal discord among Indians & violated FB’s ad policies & were removed by the platform.

In 2023, BBC was one of the many global media exposed to have been targeting the Indian pharma industry through its biased, incomplete, and/or misleading coverage. For instance, the tragic cases of Gambia involving the deaths of around 70 children due to Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and how mass-scale propaganda was peddled around the Indian pharma relating to it. In July’22 news came that several children died in Gambia bcoz of India-made cough syrup. WHO issued a warning & news media screamed– Indian med killed Gambian children. The news was first broken by #Retures & #AlJazeera, repeated by Indian media. But it was pure propaganda.

In July'22 news came that several children died in Gambia bcoz of India-made cough syrup. WHO issued warning & news media screamed– Indian med killed Gambian children. The news was first broken by #Retures & #AlJazeera, repeated by Indian media.

But it was pure propaganda.

3/n pic.twitter.com/0H51CabS7r

— DisInfo Lab (@DisinfoLab) January 25, 2024

BBC completely ignored reports that found that the presence of E.coli bacteria was a probable cause for the infection among the kids which led to their deaths.

Secondly, while the BBC reported on the panel that held the syrups culpable for the deaths of the children, it completely ignored the flawed investigation which could not establish the cough syrups were the reason behind the deaths.

In Nov 2018, BBC published a report on India under the title “Beyond Fake News” to claim that nationalism was driving fake news in India. However, the survey was based on a meager sample size of 40 Indians in a country with a population of 1.4+ billion!

As per its website, BBC prides itself as an ‘Independent’ news broadcaster. Reality however speaks otherwise. Funded by a royal charter & license fee, it’s basically a taxpayer-backed PR machine wrapped in journalistic virtue-signalling.

UK government gave BBC World Service £20M in March 2023 to ‘support language services & counter disinformation’ (translation: push state narratives). BBC also gets USAID funds. BBC isn’t just a broadcaster; it’s a sponsored narrative machinery.

BBC’s bias isn’t just for India – it’s global. Trump branded it ‘fake news’, Musk exposed its ‘state-funded’ status & Guyana’s President Ali challenged its bias – world leaders have repeatedly questioned BBC’s credibility as a news source.

Not long ago, In 2021, BBC launched Young Reporter India (YRI), partnering with Delhi-based DataLeads & US-based Internews. DataLeads’ founder Syed Nazakat is a Henry Luce Foundation fellow through the International Center for Journalists. The irony begs for validation!

The case of BBC shall go down as a masterclass in biased journalism. From twisting CAA & Article 370 to whitewashing Khalistani extremism & smearing India’s pharma industry—BBC’s propaganda knows no bounds. Funded narratives, selective outrage, & colonial hangover intact.

This article is based on an X thread by OSINTWa_.

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The post From Fake News To Funded Agendas: How BBC Weaponizes ‘Journalism’ To Smear India’s Sovereignty appeared first on The Commune.

Junior doctors throughout West Bengal, united under the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Forum (WBJDF), on Friday, have sought the intervention of President Droupadi Murmu, who had spoken out strongly over the ghastly rape and murder of a junior doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital last month, in resolving the continuing impasse over their unfulfilled demands.

“The gruesome nature of the crime, the alleged attempts to cover it up, and the attendant atmosphere of fear woke the nation up to demand an impartial investigative process and a speedy, fair and rational trial,” they said in an email to the President, a copy of which is available with IANS.

The email has also been sent to Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda.

The junior doctors have given certain examples of alleged evidence tampering in the case and deep-rooted corruption that has become rampant in West Bengal’s medical and medical education system.

The email read, “In view of these circumstances, the sense of deep mistrust and fear that we feel towards the authorities remain unalloyed so far, and we desperately implore that these noxious elements within the health system be weeded out to assure us a truly safe working” place.

The junior doctors have also highlighted the inadequate infrastructure facilities and security arrangements at the medical colleges in the state, such as the lack of police personnel for regular patrolling within the hospital premises, inadequate lighting in relevant areas, inadequate and malfunctioning locks and seals, and the absence of any proper grievance redressal mechanism.

They also contended that women at such workplaces are particularly vulnerable, with instances like the lack of changing rooms and resting places, washrooms dedicated for female doctors and even the absence of Internal Complaints Committees.

Their appeal read, “Your intervention in these trying times will act as a beacon of light to us all, showing us the way ahead out of the darkness that surrounds us. ”

President Droupadi Murmu spoke out about the Kolkata incident last month.

In an article under her name titled ‘Women’s Safety: Enough is Enough’ with the subheading ‘The recent spate of crimes against women should force honest self-introspection to uncover the roots of the malaise’, the President revealed her outrage, and observed that such incidents tarnish the country’s enviable record of women’s empowerment, “of which she considers herself an example”.

President Murmu observed that training in self-defence and martial arts is essential for all, particularly girls, “but that’s not a guarantee for their security as women’s vulnerability is influenced by many factors”.

“Obviously, the full answer to that question can come only from our society. For that to happen, what is needed first of all is honest, unbiased self-introspection. The time has come when we as a society need to ask ourselves some difficult questions. Where have we erred? And what can we do to remove the errors? Without finding out the answer to that question, the half of our population cannot live as freely as the other half,” she maintained.

The President particularly called out the mindset that objectifies women but noted that it was not limited to India only. She also highlighted the collective amnesia that grips society once the initial shock of a heinous crime loses its impact.

–IANS

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The post RG Kar Tragedy: Junior Doctors Seek Intervention Of President To Ensure Justice, Meet Demands appeared first on The Commune.

Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada on Wednesday credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for hosting the three-day ‘Semicon India 2024’ at Greater Noida, saying India will soon become the world’s third-largest economy due to its semiconductor technology.

“It is due to the resolve and vision of the Prime Minister that national and international CEOs and cyber experts on semiconductors have come to India. It is a big moment for India that these champions of the industry are visiting the country,” the Union Minister told IANS.

Minister Prasada also said that, with the help of semiconductor technology, India is poised to become the third-largest economy in the world.

“Under the leadership of PM Modi, India is marching ahead. Today’s programme was also a huge success,” the Minister added after the Prime Minister inaugurated the three-day Semicon India 2024 on Wednesday.

Addressing the gathering, PM Modi said this is the right time to invest in semiconductor manufacturing in India. The country provides an integrated ecosystem for global players, ease of business, and a large talent pool.

Speaking to a packed house of key industry stakeholders, PM Modi said, “The chips are never down in India,” and “you can bet on our growth story.”

“Come, invest and create value and we will provide an integrated ecosystem for your growth. India has 20 per cent of the global talent in semiconductor design which is consistently growing. We are building an 85,000-strong semiconductor workforce with technicians, R&D experts and designers,” PM Modi said.

On Tuesday, top semiconductor company CEOs hailed PM Modi’s leadership, saying he has inspired India and the entire world.

– IANS

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The Tamil Nadu Special Police team probing the murder of the state president of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), K. Armstrong, will soon file the charge sheet.

Sources in the police told IANS that the charge sheet in the Armstrong murder investigations would be filed in a few days. The BSP leader was murdered in broad daylight on July 5 when he was chatting with his brother and friends at Perambur in North Chennai.

The murder of Armstrong, a prominent Dalit leader of the state involved in providing education to students and uplifting them in professional careers, created shock waves in the state. BSP leader and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati attended Armstrong’s funeral. However, his adversaries said he was involved in several big-money land deals and operated his gang.

Immediately after the murder of Armstrong, police swung into action. They arrested 11 people, including Ponnai Balu, the brother of history-sheeter Arcot V.Suresh, who was killed earlier, and there were reports of Armstrong’s involvement in the murder.

The police team shot dead one of the arrested, Thiruvengadam when he was brought to the Madhavaram Lake premises to secure the weapons used to assassinate Armstrong. Police said that they were forced to fire at the notorious criminal after he attacked them. However, there were contradictory reports that the killing was stage-managed, and police had an encounter killing to eliminate Thiruvengadam.

Sources in Tamil Nadu Police told IANS that three gangs were behind the murder of Armstrong, and a notorious history-sheeter Nagendran, who is lodged in Vellore Central prison, coordinated the teams involved in the murder of the BSP leader.

The names of local leaders of all the mainstream political parties had surfaced in the murder case of Armstrong. Police have also zeroed in on the involvement of a few lawyers in the murder case.

Another notorious criminal, Sambo Senthil, and the gang led by Ponnai Balu, brother of slain gangster Arcot Suresh, joined hands with Nagendran to murder Armstrong.

It may be recalled that Nagendran’s son and Youth Congress state office-bearer and practising lawyer, Ashwathaman, was arrested by the police in the murder of Armstrong.

Sambo Senthil, according to sources in the police, had also networked with Nagendran and Ponnai Balu in the assassination of Armstrong.

Police sources told IANS that Senthil had fought Armstrong a few years ago over a property dispute and was nursing a grudge against the BSP leader.

–IANS

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During a TV debate titled “I.N.D.I.A VS N.D.A Alliance: What impact is going to have on Nitish Kumar politics?” on News7 Tamil’s Kelvi Neram show on 29 January 2024, SG Suryah, the State Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party Tamil Nadu, exposed yet another instance of misinformation by Organisation Secretary of DMK, TKS Elangovan.

The host of the debate Sugitha Sarangaraj questioned TKS Elangovan that “How You and I.N.D.I.A ally See the Alliance Shift, Nitish Kumar?”

TKS Elangovan replied “It was Nitish Kumar who held the first meeting of this alliance in Patna and on that day he made many comments against the BJP, joined the alliance, and held the meeting in a grand scale in Patna. I don’t know what kind of pressure was put on him today. But as far as Bihar is concerned, the BJP is frightened. The departure of Nitish Kumar on the one side, but their newfound affection for Karpoori Thakur, he was an enemy of Jana Sangh, they showed affection for him and gave him an award as well, right? So BJP believes that Bihar will not be in their favour and thus they put pressure on Nitish and today they are keeping Nitish under their control. Last time, there was only one Sushil Modi, today there are two Deputy Chief Ministers from BJP so they are suggesting that you should rule under our control – this is what they want to convey through this.”

He further said that in his view, the award given to Karpoori Thakur, the appointment of two Deputy Chief Ministers, and the evident pressure on Nitish Kumar are indicative of the BJP’s concerns and apprehensions about the political situation in Bihar.

Additionally, he said that Nitish Kumar, a follower of eminent leaders like Lohia, has maintained an anti-BJP and anti-Jana Sangh stance since their inception. They have consistently rejected the policies advocated by the BJP.

In response to TKS Elangovan’s remarks, the host turned to the panel member SG Suryah and asked, “Why does BJP need Nitish Kumar?”

Suryah replied saying, “I found what the senior leader (TKS Elangovan) said about Karpoori Thakur because in 1967, Karpoori Thakur became the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar with the support of our Jana Sangh MLAs and he became the Chief Minister in 1972 and 1977 elections also with Jana Sangh MLAs. Janata Party was started by joining BJP, what he saying is wrong, why because they were anti-Congress minded, never against BJP, in fact, people who have worked with BJP belong to Janata Party so I want to correct that.”

Further, he said if Karpoori Thakur was against BJP there was no need to ally with us three times. Moreover, he stated that if Karpoori Thakur held opposition views towards the BJP and Jana Sangh, there would have been no necessity for allying with us on three occasions.

Following the debate, SG Suryah also posted on his official X handle, he shared the video and wrote, “The instance during the live debate when a senior DMK leader assumed I lacked historical knowledge and provided incorrect information about Karpoori Thakur, and my subsequent correction.”

Dr. SG சூர்யா சின்ன பையன், இவனுக்கு வரலாறு தெரியாது என்று யூகித்து கர்ப்பூரி தாக்கூர் குறித்து தவறான தகவலை கூறிய தி.மு.க மூத்த தலைவரை நேரலை விவாதத்தில் திருத்திய தருணம்! pic.twitter.com/chpXoDD2Mh

— Dr.SG Suryah (@SuryahSG) January 30, 2024

Who Was Karpoori Thakur?

The late former Chief Minister of Bihar, Karpoori Thakur, received the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, posthumously on 26 January 2024. This prestigious award recognises Karpoori Thakur’s enduring dedication as a champion for the marginalised and a steadfast advocate for equality and empowerment. 

Karpoori Thakur, affectionately known as “Jan Nayak” or the people’s hero, gained widespread admiration for his unwavering dedication to the well-being of the common people. He served as Bihar’s Chief Minister twice, earning recognition for championing the cause of the backward classes and implementing policies to empower the underprivileged. 

A crucial ally of Jaya Prakash Narayan, Thakur played a pivotal role in the “Total Revolution” movement during the 1975-77 emergency against Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. 

Later in the 1977 Bihar Legislative Assembly election, he aligned himself with the Janata Party, contributing to the alliance’s landslide victory. Thakur served as Chief Minister once again from 1977 to 1979. Subsequently, he affiliated with the Janata Dal. 

Despite his passing in February 1988, the current honour bestowed upon him not only recognises his significant contributions but also serves as an inspiration for society to continue his mission of fostering a more just and equitable social order.

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The post TN BJP Leader SG Suryah Busts DMK Leader TKS Elangovan’s Fallacy That Karpoori Thakur Was Anti-BJP appeared first on The Commune.

In the Palladam area of Tirupur district, a distressing incident unfolded as a journalist faced a brutal assault for fulfilling the crucial role of news reporting. Despite being considered the fourth pillar of democracy, such incidents cast doubt on the safety of journalists in Tamil Nadu.

Nesaprabhu, a resident of Kamanayakkanpalayam Palladam and a journalist at News7 Tamil channel, became the victim of a ruthless attack on 24 January 2024. The assailants, armed with sickles and knives, inflicted severe injuries on the journalist.

It was reported that the attack on Nesaprabhu was likely a repercussion of his recent coverage exposing the illegal sale of liquor in Tirupur.

A News7 reporter’s associate revealed that he had recently covered a story on the illicit sale of liquor in a #TASMAC bar a few months ago. Another news report highlighted an incident involving an IS inspector threatening a trader and extorting bribes. The journalist faced an attack by a group of six men in Palladam around 8:45 PM.

News7 reporter colleague say recently he reported on illegal sale of liquor in #TASMAC bar as few months ago.

Another news story regarding an IS inspector threatening a trader and demanding bribes.

He was attacked by a group of 6 men in Palladam at around 8.45 pm. https://t.co/vsuyZN6O1Y

— Shabbir Ahmed (@Ahmedshabbir20) January 24, 2024

Before the assault, Nesaprabhu became aware that he was being trailed by unidentified individuals in a car. Worried about his safety, he contacted the police control room, which, in turn, informed the local Kamanaickenpalayam police. However, the police directed Nesaprabhu to personally visit the station and file a written complaint.

Feeling threatened, Nesaprabhu sought refuge at a nearby petrol station and alerted the police. Unfortunately, he found himself surrounded by assailants in the manager’s room, where the brutal attack occurred. During a call with the police, Nesaprabhu reported being surrounded by five cars.

Despite making multiple distress calls to the police, the phone call recording that was released captures Nesaprabhu’s desperate plea for police protection just moments before the assault. He sustained severe injuries during the attack.

News7, while condemning the assault on its journalist, also criticized the police for alleged negligence. The Chennai Press Club, Journalists Union, and various organizations condemned the attack and are demanding a comprehensive investigation.

“சார் வந்துட்டானுங்க சார்… அச்சோ… என் லைஃப் முடிஞ்சுச்சு…” – மர்மகும்பலால் கொலைவெறி தாக்குதலுக்கு உள்ளான செய்தியாளர் நேசப்பிரபு, கடைசியாக காவல்துறையிடம் உதவிகோரிய அதிர்ச்சி ஆடியோ#Tirupur | #Audio | #TNPolice | #Crime | #Reporter | #Nesaprabhu https://t.co/3obRwVssqw

— PuthiyathalaimuraiTV (@PTTVOnlineNews) January 25, 2024

Below is the transcription of the recording which captures the harrowing incident.

Nesaprabhu: They may come one or two times but they are coming repeatedly. How many times should I take care, I can’t sleep peacefully, if someone is with me I’ll beat and grab them or at-least I’ll push the vehicle on the road. Till now, they were standing on the road and watching me.

Police: I’ve crossed Anuparpalayam, I’m asking you, shall I come?

Nesaprabhu: Sir they’ve gone, they would have crossed Palladam, by now they would have gone to Palladam. I’m standing at Sripathi, they crossed Palladam. Now we should tell the Palladam police, then… if we want to arrest them, they have been caught on camera sir. They are in both Sripathi camera and in petrol bunk camera too… they now went to Palladam must cross the scad.

Police: Yes. You stay at Sripathi, I’ll bring this to the Inspector’s knowledge

Nesaprabhu: Please tell him, anything can happen sir

Police: Nothing like that, do you have the inspector’s number?

Nesaprabhu: Yes sir, Yes sir, I have it

Police: Do you have the inspector’s number?

Nesaprabhu: Yes sir, I have it.

Police: Shall I say it?

Nesaprabhu: I have it sir… I’ll call him

Police: You speak with him

Nesaprabhu: (interrupting with fearful voice) They have come sir… they have come sir

Police: What are you saying? Really?

Nesaprabhu: I’m coming … coming to the station. There have come in 5 cars. Sir, please come … oh god…. (shouting) they have come sir…

Police: What are you saying prabhu

Nesaprabhu: (Shouting in agony and fear) it is over sir… my life is over sir, 5 cars sir, Innova, Ertiga.

Police: Please wait a minute…

டாஸ்மாக் ஊழல்,போலீஸ் லஞ்சம் பற்றி வெளி கொண்டு வந்த நியூஸ்7 செய்தியாளர் "தன்னை யாரோ நோட்டமிடுவதாக" புகார் செய்து காவல்துறை கண்டு கொள்ளாததால் கொடூர தாக்குதலுக்கு உள்ளாகியுள்ளார்

ஆனா பாருங்க இந்த பத்திரிக்க பைத்தியக்காரனுங்க காவல்துறைய எதிர்க்காம அண்ணனுக்கு எதிரா போராடுவானுங்க pic.twitter.com/V0bU8uXJWc

— Sanghi Prince (@SanghiPrince) January 25, 2024

Following the assault, the assailants swiftly vanished. Prabhu, severely injured, is receiving medical attention at a private hospital in Coimbatore. Nesaprabhu was assaulted merely 500 meters away from a police station in Tirupur. Despite the proximity to law enforcement, the attackers, exhibiting no haste, inflicted 62 cut injuries on his body.

(with inputs from Puthiyathalaimurai)

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The post News 7 Tamil Journo Assaulted By ‘Mysterious Men’ After Doing Story On TASMAC, Had Pleaded For Protection From Police Just Hours Before Attack appeared first on The Commune.

Memes – They make us laugh, they give us information, and sometimes even offend us. According to Collins Dictionary, a meme is something such as a video, picture, or phrase that a lot of people send to each other on the internet. 

For the last few years, memes have become the main source of information, not just for the youth of today but even for the older generation, through various social networking sites. 

Several social media users today, prefer consuming information in short-form content.  Youngsters do understand the importance of being aware of current affairs, but they mostly consume it through social media and not the traditional news outlets. They are also as likely to get their news from influencers or celebrities they follow online.

According to Jayabhuvaneshwari, the brain behind News Ready Reckoner, an Instagram page that posts everyday news updates, “We wanted the youngsters of today to consume news everyday, have updates about sports, entertainment, politics, what happens in their locality, state, nation and in the world.” 

She also says that it is important for the youth to consume ‘news ‘, as the opinion that they currently have on the world, and on politics are mostly because of another individual’s influence. If they start individually consuming news more, they will be able to form opinions of their own.

Social Media has become such a prevalent means of communication that it is now almost an identity for many teenagers out there. Social media is their mode of communication, with friends and even with family. It is how they get their news, keep in touch, form political opinions, learn new trends, connect with people, document and share the highlights of their lives and express their creativity. 

Syama Harini, a Chennai-based standup comedian says, “Memes do have an impact to some extent because many sports and film reviews come out in the form of memes, which makes it more visually pleasing. Its impact can also be clearly seen with the growth in the number of meme pages that are coming up each and every day.”

When asked, if as a content creator there lies a responsibility to create the right kind of content when it is related to current affairs and politics, she said, “There is definitely a responsibility to create memes with the right information. The fun element is subjective, but not the facts.”

“There is nothing wrong in consuming news on social media as long as you get it from a reliable, reputed source. Since there is plenty of news propagated through social media it is important to fact-check before you share it with 10 other people. It’s the responsible thing to do,” says Nivetha Shekar, the social media head of Indian Express.

It is also important for news media houses to hop on the digital bandwagon. With the help of apps like Inshorts, consumers today get their news in less than 60 words. The depth of the story may be lost with a word limit, but the essence still remains. 

“Since today’s youth spend most of their time on social media I think it would be profitable for traditional media houses to broaden their digital footprint. It would gain them a younger audience who are impressionable and play an active part in shaping the future,” Nivetha added.

Due to their ability to express thoughts and feelings in a fun and relatable way, they have resonated with young audiences from the beginning. While most other media couldn’t maintain their relevance in the Internet age, memes are now one of the most consumed types of content online. Memes are not only a powerhouse of the Internet but also a social phenomenon. But since they are always around us, their real impact is very often overlooked.

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Mainstream media in Tamil Nadu is known for peddling the Dravidian ideology that divides people on the basis of race based on which caste one belongs to. In their lens, anyone from the Brahmin community, doesn’t qualify to be a Tamil even if the person’s mother tongue is Tamil, as Brahmins are considered as ‘Aryans’ who migrated from far-off lands.

Coming against this backdrop, the Tamil Nadu mainstream media channels namely – Puthiya Thalaimurai and News 7 Tamil found themselves in a spot after netizens dug out its double standards in addressing two players – Ashwin Ravichandran and Natarajan, both of them being players from Tamil Nadu who speak Tamil.

Both these channels addressed Ashwin, a Brahmin, as an ‘Indian’ cricketer while Natarajan, a Vanniyar, was mentioned as ‘Tamil’ cricketer.

On January 1, News 7 Tamil had put out a news in its Twitter page saying “Tamil” player Natarajan has been selected to play in India vs Australia test series.

However, it put out a tweet today in which addressed Ashwin as an “Indian” cricketer stating that the cricketer managed to play well despite 5 fielders encircling him.

This lack of uniformity or rather the presence of heavy bias while describing players from specific community is the reason why their hypocrisy is being called out in social media.

And @news7tamil as well! pic.twitter.com/0pnLmfn0iv

— Ethirajan Srinivasan (@Ethirajans) January 11, 2021

This is how Dravidian ideologues divide Tamils. #Natarajan is always a Tamil Cricketer & #RavichandranAshwin is a Indian Cricketer. Brahmin Cricketers won’t be called Tamils?

Though I want everyone to be called Indians, this discreet divide & rule is a decades’ old pattern here. pic.twitter.com/51o0Th4S7t

— Dr.SG Suryah (@SuryahSG) January 11, 2021

@karthickselvaa @sumanthraman
Why such biased reporting from a so called unbiased media house ? https://t.co/tV2qvzV9GR

— Kutty Chandran (@KuttyChandran2) January 11, 2021

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Germany has brought a new legislation that states that companies listed under its government must mandatorily include women on their executive boards. This milestone law came to power after agreement by both houses of the country’s coalition government on Wednesday (January 6).

It is to be noted that several attempts to close this gender gap voluntarily had failed, following which this bill was proposed in the Parliament, and got passed after a bit of deliberation. The government added that a further quota would also be introduced for “corporations under public law”, such as health insurance companies and pension and accident insurance institutions as well as the Federal Employment Agency.

The law sends “a very strong signal”, Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht told reporters, urging corporations to “take advantage of the opportunity presented by highly qualified women”. “We can show that Germany is on the way to becoming a modern society fit for the future,” Family Affairs Minister Franziska Giffey was quoted saying in a report.

Despite being one of the world’s biggest economies, Germany has always struggled with equal representation for women in the workplace. There have been jokes about how a woman can much rather hold the highest office in the country as opposed to equal representation at a run-of-the-mill workplace. This new bill now dictates that management boards with more than three members must include at least one woman, reversing a voluntary system that critics argue has failed to achieve the required shift towards gender equality.

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Tech giant Google has announced a 1 billion USD paycheck for news publishers to use and publish their content. This payment is to be spread out over three years. This comes after news firms all over the world have accused the company of publishing their content without paying them proper compensation.

This new product called News Showcase will allow news publishers from all over the world to pick out which news to present to the public and is to be rolled out on the existing Google News platform.

Speaking about it, Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai said that will be launched first in Germany and in Brazil. “This financial commitment – our biggest to date – will pay publishers to create and curate high-quality content for a different kind of online news experience,” Pichai said in a blog post. “This approach is distinct from our other news products because it leans on the editorial choices individual publishers make about which stories to show readers and how to present them,” Pichai said.

While this move by Google has been welcomed by German Publisher Spiegel, the European Publishers Council (EPC), whose members include News UK, the Guardian, Pearson, the New York Times and Schibsted, however, were not enthusiastic. They expressed their displeasure as they claim that this product works on the basis of a licensing deal, which they claim will affect their revenue.

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