Abstract: In India's democracy, the media has transitioned from a pillar of nationbuilding to a complex landscape shaped by economic liberalization and digital expansion. While technological growth has broadened access to information and empowered diverse voices, it has also introduced significant challenges to democratic integrity. The increasing concentration of media ownership and commercial pressures have compromised journalistic ethics, leading to sensationalism and ideological polarization. Furthermore, while digital platforms facilitate civic engagement, they also act as conduits for misinformation and hate speech, which undermine social cohesion. Consequently, the Indian media functions as both a facilitator of and a constraint on democracy. To restore its role as a credible watchdog, the study argues for urgent reforms, including ensuring transparency in ownership, promoting media literacy, and strengthening the independence of journalism to safeguard the quality of public discourse.
Pradip Karmakar (Sun,) studied this question.