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cover art for Hafta 298: Hyderabad floods, the TRPs scam, and the Tanishq ad

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Hafta 298: Hyderabad floods, the TRPs scam, and the Tanishq ad

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This week on NL Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, Raman Kirpal, and Jayashree Arunachalam are joined by journalist Sudipto Mondal.


The conversation kicks off with the panelists discussing the Hyderabad floods. Jayashree talks about how flooding is often an annual problem in some states but it’s never solved because this isn’t a “sexy” issue.


Moving on to the TRP scam, Abhinandan says he’s “never seen media reporting about the media so much ever.” On how journalists have come together to condemn Republic, Sudipto questions the credibility of these journalists, asking: “Where did straightforward journalism go?”


The discussion shifts to advertisers choosing not to support “toxic” news channels and the backlash to the Tanishq ad. Manisha talks about how, in some cases, it’s the media that “creates” this outrage, and explains her issues with the phrase “social media outrage”. Jayashree and Manisha also think that Tanishq withdrawing the ad denies the reality of mixed families. “What kind of message is this for young interfaith couples?” Manisha asks.


On Bollywood producers acting against some news channels for irresponsible reporting, Abhinandan thinks the “pushback is needed”. The panel also talks about the Shiv Sena contesting the Assembly election in Bihar, the Maharashtra governor’s letter to Uddhav Thackeray, and a lot more.


Listen up!


Timecodes


02:59 - Headlines


08:19 - Hyderabad floods


16:56 - Subscriber mails


29:33 - TRP scam


48:13 - Bollywood producers vs news channels, Tanishq ad 


01:05:23 - Maharashtra governor's letter to Uddhav Thackeray


01:07:38 - Subscriber mails


01:16:49 - Farooq Abdullah on restoration of Article 370


01:26:57 - Subscriber mails


01:30:40 - Shiv Sena contesting the election in Bihar


01:36:23 - Recommendations 



Recommendations 


Sudipto


Bad Boy Billionaires



Raman


Mixed race not only lives but thrives. Withdrawing Tanishq ad means denying our reality


Serious Men


Stalking Laura



Jayashree


How an IPS officer is changing the fortunes of students from marginalised communities in Telangana


At home, at school



Manisha


An Arrest in Canada Casts a Shadow on a New York Times Star, and The Times

Caliphate, the 1619 Project, the Times, and the culture


Podcast: Rukmini Callimachi on covering ISIS


Mixed race not only lives but thrives. Withdrawing Tanishq ad means denying our reality



Abhinandan


Stephen Sackur Hardtalk - Reverend Rob Schenck - Evangelical Minister





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