‘Murdochization’ of the Indian press: from by-line to bottom-line

Abstract

The Rupert Murdoch factor in the Western media has been widely debated. However, less attention has been focused on his influence in non-Western locales where he does not have an overt presence. His vision has transformed the press in India - a country with a diverse and rich press - that was at the forefront of its freedom struggle. Fifty-five years after independence, India opened its press for foreign participation in 2002; however, Murdoch has been omnipresent in its press since the late 1980s. Leading Indian newspapers adopted his market-oriented approach, which raised profits but also narrowed the editorial space for social issues. Indian commentators lament the Murdoch-inspired changes - often referred to as 'dumbing down' - but it is also true that the press has since increased its circulation and democratised local cultural and political networks. This article briefly tracks the shifts and suggests that a balance between the marketing and editorial needs to be struck for the press to continue to play a key role in the world's largest democracy.