‘Press freedom practically does not exist in India’: Tanushree Pandey
New Delhi: Independent Indian journalist and documentary filmmaker Tanushree Pandey has triggered widespread discussion on social media after speaking about the current state of the Indian media industry and raising concerns over press freedom.
According to Kashmir Media Service, her comments came in the backdrop of Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng’s questioning of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his official visit to Oslo, where she raised concerns about human rights and media freedom, contrasting Norway’s and India’s global press freedom rankings.
In a video circulating widely online, Pandey said that there is “no space left in Indian media” and alleged that “all newsrooms have been bought.” Her remarks quickly went viral, sparking debate among journalists, political supporters, and social media users over media independence, editorial freedom, and political influence on news organisations. In the widely shared video, Pandey said press freedom in India has been severely constrained and that journalists are working under pressure and fear. She stated that independent journalism has been shrinking and that critical reporting is often discouraged or restricted.
Among her remarks, she said: “We do not need a Norwegian journalist to tell us about press freedom in India. We are journalists in India, and we have been enduring this reality for years.” She further added: “In India, press freedom practically does not exist,” and said that journalists face conditions such as government pressure, censorship, intimidation, and suppression of critical reporting.
Pandey also said that asking tough questions often results in online backlash, including targeted campaigns, and that independent journalists are frequently pushed out of mainstream newsrooms. “Many journalists are now working on YouTube, Twitter, or international platforms, not by choice but because there is no space left in mainstream media,” she said. She further highlighted challenges in covering sensitive incidents such as Hathras, Manipur violence, cases of cow-related violence, corruption, and the situation of Kashmiri Pandits, saying that “due to pressure, many stories could not be fully reported.”
According to her, “journalists are working in an atmosphere of fear” and independent newsrooms have been “continuously weakened,” with several reporters reportedly removed for asking critical questions. She further stated that unless interviews are “scripted and friendly,” accountability is largely absent in mainstream media.
The video has reignited debate over media independence in India, with experts and commentators saying that press freedom in India is under severe strain. Some analysts argue that the traditional role of the press as the “fourth pillar of democracy” has weakened and that democratic values are eroding. They futher contend that India is under the influence of a “Hindutva oligarchy.”
