There’s been a lot of backlash against Republic TV’s recent mock debates on the Pulwama attack, with critics claiming the show is the worst form of journalism on national television. Several journalists, including Arnab Goswami, the editor-in-chief of the network, have resigned over ethics and morality. But, is Republic TV truly the worst form of journalism in India? The debate drew a lot of attention on social media, with viewers comparing it to the Cartoon Network or TikTok.
The name of the news channel was changed after the scandal web series review. It was hyped as the first independent media outlet in India and unabashedly pro-India. But, the news channel soon found itself in the middle of a viewership manipulation scandal. Goswami had mentioned a law mandating movie theatres play the national anthem before showing movies, but Muslim assemblyman Waris Pathan objected to the move. Despite this, the new network has already surpassed its predecessors, gaining record viewership in its first week.
ARG Outlier Media Private Ltd., the company behind Republic TV, funded the start-up through an investment from Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the former editor-in-chief of Times Now. Goswami’s news hour often saw high-voltage debates. He also believes that television and digital platforms should be co-existing rather than rivals. The launch of Republic World is expected to be officially announced in about a week.
