Pandemic, politics, and the safety of journalists
Downward spiral of press freedom in India
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21740722 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Sanviti Iyer (Independent Researcher, Pune, India, corresponding author), Mochish KS (Flame University), M Muslich Ks (Flame University) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 210-227 |
| Publication date | 2023-07-03 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Review of Communication (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1535-8593 • E-ISSN: 1535-8593 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/15358593.2023.2216264 |
| OpenAlex | W4382893601 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 5 |
According to the 2023 World Press Freedom Index rankings by the RSF, India ranks 161 out of 180 countries. One of the important indicators that the index bases the ranking on is the level of violence against the journalists and their overall safety. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian government cracked down on the press by reprimanding any form of dissent regarding their policies. This has resulted in journalists from various parts of the country being arrested, detained, and harassed. The much-debated Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 and Disaster Management Act, 2005 were implemented to invoke curbs to contain the spread of coronavirus in India. The paper examines the consequences of the infodemic on the safety of journalists in the context of declining press freedom in the country in the context of the aforementioned acts. The analysis of cases focuses on highlighting how the laws introduced to “contain” the spread of the virus has been used as a tool to gatekeep the truth regarding the implementation of coronavirus policies by way of stifling the voice of journalists. The analysis reveals how various legal, political, and economic factors contribute to the lack of safety of journalists in the country
Dissent · Freedom of the press · Political dissent · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts · History · Law · South Asian Cinema and Culture · South Asian Studies and Conflicts
| Citations per year | 1.67 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2023 - 2026 (4) |
| Highly cited | No |