How Was the Opposition Portrayed? Analyzing Republic TV's Prime-Time Debates Aired During India's 2019 Parliamentary Election

Abstract

This study examines how the opposition was portrayed in Republic TV's prime-time debates during India's 2019 parliamentary elections. While prior research has documented the channel's ideological alignment with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), this study analyzes the substance of partisan bias through portrayals of the opposition during this pivotal electoral moment. Drawing on thematic analysis of seven debates selected via constructedweek sampling, the study identifies seven dominant themes: Challenges to National Allegiance, Communal Politics and Religious Alignment, Scrutiny of Democratic Integrity, Election Campaign Criticism, Ethical Challenges and Behavior, Opposition Alliance Instability, and Financial Misconduct. Each theme contains subthemes that further delineate these portrayals. A frequency analysis maps their distribution across speakers, revealing systematic alignment between the anchor and ruling-party-affiliated panelists. The findings highlight Republic TV's role in constructing a delegitimizing discourse and raise concerns about partisan media ecosystems and editorial coordination in India's election coverage.

Keywords

Republic TV prime-time debates elections India television news

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