On Sunday evening #GoHomeIndianMedia was the top trending hashtag in Nepal with more than 60,000 tweets on the topic.
The hashtag began trending because the Indian media’s coverage was perceived as treating the Nepal earthquake as a public relations exercise on behalf of the Indian government.
The Quint spoke to three senior journalists on the Indian media’s coverage. Here are their reactions.
Did the Media go Wrong?
Sankarshan Thakur, Roving Editor of The Telegraph -
Many in the media were focussing on the Indian relief efforts. Relief is the follow-up story. First focus has to be on the tragedy of the Nepali people. The relief story was happening in Delhi where material and teams were sent from. You don’t have to go to Nepal and ask them if they are happy with the relief.
Many countries sent relief material but the Indian media didn’t highlight it.
This isn’t about the Nepal quake but overall insensitivity in reporting. Even the Kashmir floods had become an Army relief story instead of the story of victims.
Yubaraj Ghimire, Editor of the Annapurna Post -
The issue isn’t India’s relief ops but the projection of it by certain sections in the media.The origin of the social media trend is vague, the mainstream media in Nepal has barely touched this subject.
Television media’s propagation of India vs Pak or India vs China stories upset the people. A Hindi channel reporter’s insensitive coverage was perhaps the final push.
Anubha Bhonsle, Executive Editor, CNN-IBN
I am not aware of the origins of the Twitter Trend and why it trended the way it did. I am doubtful whether people who were rescuing their belongings from the rubble were making a twitter trend. I am not going to be defensive, neither am I going to give ourselves a pat on the back and commend our work.
There is much to learn, more sensitivity and frankly if channels made this a PR spin for the PM, they need to answer. On the other side I will not fall to this lazy assumption that says that we should shy away from saying India is leading the effort. It was a story, not THE story.
If at all journalists faced hostility it was partly from Nepal’s elite who were overwhelmed by tragedy and were indignant on news items that showed there was no relief four-five days on.
‘Don’t Become a Liability’
Yubaraj Ghimire, Editor of the Annapurna Post -
More than policy it is about attitude. Perception becomes more than reality. Make no mistake, there will be a large amount of gratitude and goodwill towards India.
Sankarshan Thakur, Roving Editor of The Telegraph -
This PR-fuelled reporting is happening a lot. Govt has always had this PIB that employs thousands who by definition propagate the government’s viewpoint and achievement. Why should I become an ancillary to that?
I don’t have to wear my patriotism on my collar. You don’t go in with a band baaja. Don’t go in with an illiterate mind.
Parachute journalism is not bad, but go with sensitivity. Go with some sense of what the reality is. Have some understanding.
The NDRF did an exemplary job in some of the rescue missions it conducted but there has to be some prioritisation of coverage. First get the victim’s story and then highlight the rescue efforts.
Anubha Bhonsle, Executive Editor, CNN-IBN
Disasters are messy and it is our job to report on this messiness. Rescue operations don’t always fit into some neat bracket that make everyone feel comfortable. Our duty in a disaster situation is to report on the suffering we witness, its many ramifications, the people who are bringing succour. The linkage from a woman who hasn’t had food for two days to the indictment of the state isn’t always obvious, but once it is we need to report it.
I am a journalist, not a cry baby and frankly since the media at large does so much hashtag journalism, it was a matter of time before it came back to you.
I don’t think I would do anything differently in my reportage if god forbid another disaster strikes. If anything, I will be more aggressive and more sensitive and yes the two can co-exist.
If at all I have a word of caution for journalists who could find themselves covering disasters, please wear shoes and exercise. And make sure you don’t become a liability.
A Complex Alliance
Yubaraj Ghimire, Editor of the Annapurna Post -
Let this be a reminder of how easy it is for India to be disliked in Nepal. Indian Embassy in Kathmandu is the biggest Indian mission in the world.
India has, in the past eight years, been seen to be deeply involved in Nepalese politics and this is not appreciated much.
Sankarshan Thakur, Roving Editor of The Telegraph -
India as the big brother has had niggling issues with Nepal for some years now. There will be some sections in Nepal that feel India has hogged all the attention in a story that is essentially about Nepal’s victims.
Anubha Bhonsle, Executive Editor, CNN-IBN
I have reported and so have other media organisations on the rifts that did take place between the Indian state and the Nepali authorities on how the airport was becoming a choking point. Of sensitivities in a multi-layered operation like this. We were on occasions briefed of how the Indian effort in Nepal was in a supporting role to the Nepalese army.
I am privy through sources that much of this constant underlining was due to the discomfort of the Nepalese administrative machinery that they were not seen to be doing enough.
As journalists covering a disaster it is our utmost duty to see some of these news items in perspective and report on them.
(As told to Jaskirat Singh Bawa.)