Misinformation is media’s biggest challenge today: Anjana Om Kashyap

At the e4m NewsNext Summit 2024, Anjana Om Kashyap, Senior Executive Editor, Aaj Tak engaged in a fireside chat with Sohini Ganguly, Senior Correspondent, exchange4media about how prevalent misinformation was in today’s media landscape and how news needs to be consumed to steer clear of ‘noise’. “Misinformation is one of the biggest challenges the media industry faces today,” Kashyap said. 

She pointed out that we live in an era where apart from mainstream media, social media is growing every day. “We are all so glued to our mobile phones, that we are ready to see, believe and indulge in everything that is coming onto our hands via the mobile. So, the media is facing this huge challenge because of the social media onslaught,” she added. 

Kashyap calls this an ‘onslaught’, on purpose, considering it also has a lot of good sides to it. “But a lot of propaganda and misinformation is being spread via that media,” she said at the e4m NewsNext Summit. 

She further explained to the audience what exactly misinformation was. “Any information that is not based on facts, is misinformation. I also think speaking out one part of the truth, holding on to the other side of the story, is also misinformation,” Kashyap said. 

She stressed that it was the job of media professionals or journalists to put forward all sides of the story or the truth. “If anyone judges you or pulls you down for it, be ready to face it because sharing all sides of the truth is your job,” Kashyap said. 

Speaking about the rise of misinformation led by Youtubers, Kashyap pointed out how even their thumbnails are less of thumbnails and more of clickbaits. 

Another aspect feeding misinformation, according to Kashyap, is that there is a very well-designed machinery at work, to discredit the media in today’s era.

She also highlighted the gender gap that exists in the industry today. “We probably make boxes in which we want our journalists to fit. Men can be decisive, outspoken, rude and still one would go ‘I like him, he’s so arrogant’. But if a woman chooses to be anything beyond kind, nice, polite, she is questioned for that very behaviour.” 

Busting the myth about sensationalism being the core focus of the media, Kashyap said, “Post the Anna Andolan, the media has largely focused on news. Viewers are hungry for news too, which is a great thing. I think the sensationalism has gone down quite a bit, but it needs to be constantly worked on too.” 

Pointing out how important fact-checking is and how big a challenge misinformation is, Kashyap shared that there are now teams solely dedicated to fact-checking in newsrooms. Another point important in the era of misinformation, according to her, is to make the respective reporter accountable for every story that is being run. 

Lastly, advising the common people about how to consume news, Kashyap said people need to choose their preferred media house very carefully. “All the media houses which have credible reporters, or faces that are taking accountability for that news, are usually the ones who will put forth the best facts for you.”