Wednesday, March 7, 2012

"Rahul takes on Mayawati"


This blog post is not about Rahul Gandhi. This post is about the media coverage (especially the english language TV media) on Rahul Gandhi, in the run-up to the recent UP elections. And by "run-up" I don't mean the last 2 months. The last one year or so. 

Over time, I just tried to collect news items that essentially said "Rahul takes on Mayawati". or "Rahul tears into Mulayam" or profound journalists who said "Rahul will be seen a martyr in Bhatta-Parsaul" or NDTV which still thinks " Priyanka Gandhi, often described as an electrifying campaigner with a strong people connect, " or articles that said "Rahul Gandhi worked the hardest of all" etc. 

Despite this massive campaign by the English media - Congress won just 28 seats. Despite multiple shows on Priyanka Gandhi and front page pictures of her campaign in family bastions Amethi and Rae Bareilly, Congress lost 8 of the 10 seats in these two places. Congress even lost Bhatta Parsaul. 

SP won 225 seats. The win is majorly credited to Akhilesh Yadav. Only in the last 2-3 months, we have been hearing of him. Before that, it was almost as if he never existed. He started his yatra in Sept. 2011. No live coverage, no front page pictures. And today he emerged the winner. 

Do you see the disconnect of this media with the ground realities then? All along it was potrated as Rahul vs Mayawati. Turns out, it was Akhilesh all the way. Rahul took responsibility for the defeat - will the English TV media take responsibility for their disconnect? 

Below are links I compiled ( not exhaustive, but enough to give you a picture)


April 14, 2010 - Rahul challenges Maywati - 



Dec. 2011
The campaign for UP promises to be a fiery one with the Congress and BSP leaving no stone unturned to woo voters


Jan 04 - 2012
Rahul Gandhi hits campaign mode for UP polls


Jan - Rahul carves out a toehold for youth




Jan 11 - In Azamgarh, Rahul tears into Mulayam

Jan 12

Jan 18 


Feb. 12


Feb .15 - Will Rahul mantra plus Piryanka magic work?


Feb.21 - Rahul worked the hardest




4 comments:

vips said...

I believe that NDTV is bought by Congress. Also too some extent IBN.both the channelS are crazy and obsessed with GanDhi family n Congress. Not jus that, they will not miss single oppurtunity to spread negative news of the Congress opponents.

Khoty Mathur said...

Thanks to the internet people got together and debunked all the myths promoted by the media. More power to people unity and the net. To my mind Rahul is nice but not intelligent enough to be PM. What's more, I think he would be much happier doing something he genuinely likes and is good at.

Roberto el Sandriano said...

Not a day passed in the months of Jan and Feb without a picture of RG's (Sonia or Priyanka if not) on the front page of Deccan Chronicle. The extent of bias can be gauged by my wife's comment given that she is ignorant of this media bias. Looking at RG's photo published in DC daily, she asked me ignorantly if DC was RG's publication. That summarized the media bias for me.

Roberto

Unknown said...


ارخص شركة نقل عفش

ارخص شركة نقل عفش بالمدينة المنورة نقل عفش بالمدينة المنورة
ارخص شركة نقل عفش بمكة نقل عفش بمكة
شركة نقل عفش شركة نقل عفش

ارخص شركة نقل عفش بجدة نقل عفش بجدة
دينا نقل عفش جدة دينا نقل عفش بجدة

Post a Comment