Popular Indian TV Host Ravish Kumar Resigns Following Billionaire Takeover of NDTV

Facts

• On Wednesday, Ravish Kumar, one of India’s most popular television journalists, announced his resignation from New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) amid billionaire Gautam Adani’s imminent two-stage takeover of the network.
• A day earlier, NDTV founders Prannoy and Radhika Roy resigned as the directors on the board of Radhika Roy Prannoy Roy Holdings Private Limited (RRPR) – NDTV’s promoter company.
• On Nov. 14, the Securities and Exchange Board of India approved Adani Group's open offer for a 26% additional stake in NDTV. Two weeks later, RRPR transferred 99.5% of its shares to Adani Group-acquired Vishvapradhan Commercial Pvt Ltd (VCPL) – which held a 29.18% stake in NDTV.
• With a 55.18% stake in NDTV, many fear Asia’s wealthiest man — and rumoured right hand of Prime Minister Narendra Modi — is set to throttle vocal critics of the government.
• In a YouTube video posted shortly after his resignation, the Magsaysay awardee said he worries about youngsters studying journalism who "will have to do the job of dalali (pimping)" in the changing media landscape in India.
• Ravish Kumar is credited with coining the term "Godi Media," a reference to all Indian news channels that work on behalf of the Modi government rather than being motivated by journalistic principles.

Sources: Al Jazeera, ABP, Guardian, Indian Express, and Free Press Journal.

Narratives

• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by The Quint. The resignation of Ravish Kumar – an icon of press freedom in India – proves that values and ethics are more important than money for some. It also sends the important signal that, in a world where you can be a bootlicker and earn millions or speak truth to power and stand your ground at a personal cost, one must choose to be the latter. Unfortunately, Adani’s takeover will soon transform NDTV into another lapdog of the Modi government, purging dissenting voices and stifling real journalism.
• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by OpIndia. Adani’s takeover of NDTV is a perfectly legal business move. It’s not a hostile maneuver and there is no victim, perpetrator, or martyr in this situation. In addition, the ever-sanctimonious Ravish Kumar was a propagandist-in-chief in NDTV, who peddled his agenda, propelled divides, and misled his followers on Prime Time. With Adani taking over NDTV, he must have realised he could no longer push his hypocrisy and biases through his brand of fake journalism.