Reportage of Corona Pandemic in Hindi News Television and Stereotyping of Muslims with Special Reference to Tablighi Jamaat

Abstract

This research paper is an attempt to map the depth of stereotyping of Muslims in mainstream Hindi news television. Stereotyping of religious, ethnic and other minority groups, is not unusual in mainstream press and television. However, ‘crudeness’ of media content may endanger the lives of the entire community and has the potential to threaten the social fabric of the society/country (Lippmann, 1922). It strengthens negative schema among the members of the society. In this research paper, I have analysed the language, tone, tenor and form of reportage of Covid-19 pandemic vis-à-vis Tablighi Jamaat sect in two leading Hindi news channels. I find the two news channels violate the basic principles of journalism practised in a ‘free press’. It clearly stereotypes and ‘demonises’ Muslims, and in the process diverts attention of the public from ‘real’ to the ‘imaginary’ (‘Say Sorry’, 2020). Both quantitative and qualitative methods have been used for content analysis. Critical discourse analysis is the main tool to map the depth of stereotyping.