A Skewed Balance: Religion Reporting in Kerala’s Media

Abstract

This article considers the enigma that characterizes Kerala—a sliver of land at the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent. The state takes credit for high social development in spite of its low per capita income. Kerala is also famed for religious tolerance. Many Indian newspapers, including those from Kerala, came into existence with a political, social or religious agenda. Most media houses today, however, seem to ignore their commitment to society and ethical and accurate journalism in their effort to generate a robust bottom line. News, including news on religion, has lost flavour and is homogenized to suit every palate. Good news situations are celebrated but conflicts do not receive critical coverage. The consequence of this reticence has been a dearth of responsible journalism that short-changes media consumers.

Keywords

Religion reporting Kerala media religious tolerance

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