Assaults on journalism have corresponded with the rise of authoritarian regimes across the globe. This, of course, is not a coincidence. The infringements take place in many ways. Some include intimidation of and physical assaults on scribes. Indeed, the annual report of the International Federation of Journalists had identified the year, 2024, as particularly deadly for media professionals: 104 journalists perished worldwide as of early December 2024. But media houses and their members also face other kinds of attack, the most common among which are attempts to cut off their source of funding. The denial of government advertisements, a recurrent practice in India, is one example. But that is not the only modus operandi. India’s income tax authorities recently cancelled the non-profit status of The Reporters’ Collective, an outfit specialising in investigative journalism. The reason that was cited is telling — and contentious. Journalism as a profession, it was argued by the income tax authorities, does not serve a public purpose.

What must be pointed out in this context is that the blow to this news organisation coincided with two small news outlets putting out videos that allege that there has been a massive institutional cover-up to fudge the real figure of casualties in the stampede at the Mahakumbh. The rationale proferred by the authorities is twisted; it is also in contravention of judicial observations on the matter. For instance, in Romesh Thapar versus State of Madras, the Supreme Court had underlined the fact that the press plays a critical role in informing the people and securing democratic values. These responsibilities of the media have remained unchanged; in fact, they have assumed greater significance today. This is because the Age of Information, ironically, has also been characterised by a massive influx of disinformation, aided and abetted by the explosion of social media platforms. Traditional media has been left with the onerous task of separating the proverbial wheat — truth — from the chaff. Can this task be described as anything else but public service? An equally crucial task pertains to speaking truth to power, something that the legacy media in India seems to be ignoring. The media’s ability to demand accountability from those in power remains contingent upon its financial viability. This explains the State’s attempt to choke its access to funds. It also underlines the urgent need for the media, old and new, to reimagine its remunerative model to retain the voice of independence.