Arnab Goswami may be on to something.....read on
For a news junkie such as yours truly, Arnab represents a brand of news anchoring that is unprecedented within any media landscape, but most certainly within India's incestuous media club.
While Indian print media has a few leading lights who present the right of center pov, electronic media has remained immune to conservative arguments.
Step in Arnab Goswami.
Perhaps Arnab's right wing leanings are part of a carefully crafted strategy to fill a vacuum that was visible to even the most casual media watchers.
Perhaps he is truly a patriot whose heart aches for the dismal state of India's defense preparedness.
Regardless of his motivations, Arnab may have stumbled on to something that could alter the way India's fledgeling right wing discourse is shaped in the years to come.
As I have mentioned in earlier blog posts, the information revolution unleashed in the early 90s has driven a rethink across opinion makers across the free world. If you have access to information, chances are, your worldview is likely to tend toward a 'global citizen' mentality, with tolerance as the center piece. What was once a liberal affectation is now a core belief even amongst the more conservative leaning citizens.
This dynamic plays out most commonly with younger folks (and Indians are amongst the youngest demographic). But even older groups have shown a remarkable change of heart, particularly on social issues.
These evolving social transformations are most evident in the West. Given the efficient nature of western institutions this is to be expected. From electing the first Black Head of State in any western nation to approval for gay marriage, America has delivered social changes unthinkable as recently as George W's election campaign in 1999.
India cannot remain insulated from these global changes. This wave of tolerance is nothing new to Hinduism. Access to information has allowed people to access historical facts and form or update long held opinions.
On a personal note, my visceral hatred for Hindu casteism stems from gaining access to historical evidence of the degrading treatment meted out to Hinduism only truly Hindu King - Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (Google the history behind his coronation)
Social changes engendered by the information revolution have created a (electorally significant) new segment of voters that is uncomfortable with social conservatism. But at the same time this segment tends to take an ultra conservative view on terror and positions that are perceived as being 'soft on terror'.
In short, there's now a liberal wing of the conservative movement which hates Pakistan and terror as much as (say) a Shiv Sainik.
This segment is comfortable with western attire, music, culinary preferences but clings to (even celebrates) its Indianess.
This segment supports PM Modi but wont go to bat for a Togadia.
Arnab's ratings triumph suggests this segment is growing and the younger lot in particular are only swelling its ranks.
BJP needs to find a way to connect with this segment. For 2019 and beyond.
For a news junkie such as yours truly, Arnab represents a brand of news anchoring that is unprecedented within any media landscape, but most certainly within India's incestuous media club.
While Indian print media has a few leading lights who present the right of center pov, electronic media has remained immune to conservative arguments.
Step in Arnab Goswami.
Perhaps Arnab's right wing leanings are part of a carefully crafted strategy to fill a vacuum that was visible to even the most casual media watchers.
Perhaps he is truly a patriot whose heart aches for the dismal state of India's defense preparedness.
Regardless of his motivations, Arnab may have stumbled on to something that could alter the way India's fledgeling right wing discourse is shaped in the years to come.
As I have mentioned in earlier blog posts, the information revolution unleashed in the early 90s has driven a rethink across opinion makers across the free world. If you have access to information, chances are, your worldview is likely to tend toward a 'global citizen' mentality, with tolerance as the center piece. What was once a liberal affectation is now a core belief even amongst the more conservative leaning citizens.
This dynamic plays out most commonly with younger folks (and Indians are amongst the youngest demographic). But even older groups have shown a remarkable change of heart, particularly on social issues.
These evolving social transformations are most evident in the West. Given the efficient nature of western institutions this is to be expected. From electing the first Black Head of State in any western nation to approval for gay marriage, America has delivered social changes unthinkable as recently as George W's election campaign in 1999.
India cannot remain insulated from these global changes. This wave of tolerance is nothing new to Hinduism. Access to information has allowed people to access historical facts and form or update long held opinions.
On a personal note, my visceral hatred for Hindu casteism stems from gaining access to historical evidence of the degrading treatment meted out to Hinduism only truly Hindu King - Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (Google the history behind his coronation)
Social changes engendered by the information revolution have created a (electorally significant) new segment of voters that is uncomfortable with social conservatism. But at the same time this segment tends to take an ultra conservative view on terror and positions that are perceived as being 'soft on terror'.
In short, there's now a liberal wing of the conservative movement which hates Pakistan and terror as much as (say) a Shiv Sainik.
This segment is comfortable with western attire, music, culinary preferences but clings to (even celebrates) its Indianess.
This segment supports PM Modi but wont go to bat for a Togadia.
Arnab's ratings triumph suggests this segment is growing and the younger lot in particular are only swelling its ranks.
BJP needs to find a way to connect with this segment. For 2019 and beyond.
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