Prying is not investigative journalism, says N. Ram

Says television channels in India mostly carry out sting operations in the name of investigative journalism

N. Ram, Chairman, The Hindu Group. File photo

Investigative journalism is not sting journalism and prying has no place in it, said N. Ram, Chairman, The Hindu Group, here on Friday.

Speaking at the launch of the book Victims for Sale, authored by Nish Amarnath, he said the novel spoke in detail on what investigative journalism was about. In India, when television channels talked about investigating journalism, it was mostly about sting operations, he said. On the risks involved in investigative journalism, Mr. Ram said India was in the club of 13 countries where the killers of journalists acted with impunity. This was based on a global impunity index that the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists put out. He pointed out that most victims were journalists from small towns investigating corruption or political misconduct, who get killed either by the arm of the State or some gangster. “Murder is bad but even worse is the message that gets across — that you can do this and get away with it. Nothing happens to the killers of journalists,” he added.

Message in book

Ms. Nish Amarnath said the book explored the depths of human psyche in its extremes. “One of the key messages that the book seeks to break out is the sense of displacement of cultural identity that is not very uncommon today,” she said.

Advocate Sanjay Pinto said journalism should make things change rather than just getting TRPs and sensationalising news.

Alexis S. Wolff, U.S. Consulate information officer, said women in journalism faced more challenges than their male counterparts.