Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 12 Aug: Senior journalist Pawan Lalchand Kumar has been conferred a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree by Kumaon University for his research titled “Critical Analysis of Credibility of Television News Channels: A Study based on Uttarakhand”. The study offers a comprehensive examination of the erosion of trust in Hindi television news and its implications for public discourse and democratic engagement.
The research, based on extensive fieldwork and data analysis, claims that while 91.8 percent of respondents consider credibility essential in news reporting, 53.5 percent believe that Hindi news channels fail to uphold it. A significant 67.6 percent attribute the rise of sensationalism to the competitive race for Television Rating Points (TRPs), while 66.2 percent feel that public trust in these channels is steadily declining. Furthermore, 82.6 percent of participants expressed concern that television news often overlooks pressing issues such as natural disasters and unemployment, focusing instead on superficial or politically driven narratives.
The study also found that 70 percent of respondents perceive political bias in news coverage, and 64 percent suspect the influence of paid news in shaping editorial content.
In light of these findings, Dr Lalchand has recommended a series of corrective measures, including stringent action against fake and paid news, enhanced coverage of local and public-interest issues, and the implementation of media literacy programmes to empower audiences with critical viewing skills.
Commenting on the significance of his research, Dr Lalchand felt that without credibility, TV news risks losing relevance to digital media.
