NDTV has a long history of promoting freedom and justice around the world. It has used its media platform to highlight injustices, force apathetic governments to act and make the public aware of their power. Its fearless and unbiased campaigns have won it a reputation as one of the most influential news outlets in India.
In 1988, Prannoy and Radhika Roy started on NDTV as a production house for news segments contracted by the government-owned Doordarshan. Over the next few years, NDTV grew into India’s first independent news network. By 1998, it had become a 24-hour news channel in partnership with Star.
NDTV’s Role in Shaping Public Opinion: A Closer Look
The company continues to produce two popular news channels in English – NDTV 24×7 and NDTV India – and has an extensive online presence with a number of news and social media sites. It is known for prioritizing monitoring of international bodies, news agencies and people of interest on social media as part of its newsgathering operations.
It is also known for its strong political connections and hiring journalists with bureaucratic connections. Some of these journalists have gone on to become the most recognizable names in Indian journalism. For example, Arnab Goswami is the son of Manoranjan Goswami, a former army officer, and a Bharatiya Janata Party member; Vikram Chandra is the son of Yogesh Chandra, a director general of civil aviation; and Vishnu Som is the son of a senior diplomat.
However, NDTV faces stiff competition from rivals in both its Hindi and English news segments, particularly the booming Aaj Tak. In addition, new entrants are emerging that could potentially take away the company’s audience share.