In an August 17, 2015 interview with Scroll.in’s Akash Banerjee, journalist Barkha Dutt argued that television news reflects audience demand: viewers may criticize its theatrical style, she said, but continue to watch it. The conversation is a record of Dutt’s views and plans at that time—not a current profile or independent study of Indian audiences.
Why did Dutt say news had become “tamasha”?
Dutt’s headline observation was that complaints about spectacle sit beside continued viewing. “News is tamasha and what really bothers me is that people criticise it, but still watch it. People like to watch tamasha,” she said.
Her argument was that broadcasters respond to what viewers watch and to ratings. She challenged viewers who disliked theatrical coverage to consider how their viewing choices might affect what outlets offer. This is Dutt’s interpretation of the relationship between audiences and television formats, not a survey result or proof that all viewers want the same kind of news.
What did she think was changing newsrooms?
Dutt said social media could give journalists a useful stream of information, but warned against allowing trending topics and hashtag contests to dictate editorial decisions. She described Twitter trends entering editorial meetings and news rundowns, and drew a distinction between using a platform to notice information and letting it determine a newsroom’s voice.
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“So while Twitter is a great medium for getting a volley of information, it shouldn’t be the voice in my head,” she said. These comments describe her concerns in 2015; the interview does not establish how newsrooms operate today.
How did Dutt describe reporting and accountability?
She said journalists need to speak with a broad range of people to gather information: “A journalist has to talk to all sorts of people. All sorts.” She drew an ethical line between sourcing information and accepting favors, planting stories, or manipulating them, and said journalists should be ready to answer questions about their work.
At the same time, Dutt objected to being repeatedly defined by labels such as “controversial.” Her distinction was between responding to criticism and continually explaining herself to people who, in her view, had already decided how to characterize her. The interview records her position; it does not independently adjudicate the criticisms or the claims she discussed.
What did she say journalists learned from 26/11 coverage?
Dutt described the live television coverage of the 2008 Mumbai attacks as an industry learning experience. In her account, journalists had not initially considered that handlers could monitor broadcasts in real time. She said an advisory arrived after the operation had been underway for 70 hours, and that her organization was then using a 15-minute broadcast delay.
She also described later coordination among editors and regulation, and said a direct call from the government to editors could have prompted an immediate delay. These are Dutt’s recollections in the 2015 interview. The conversation does not independently verify the timeline, establish industry-wide practice, or resolve responsibility for the coverage.
What role and future did Dutt describe in 2015?
At the time, the interview identified Dutt as NDTV’s Consulting Editor. She discussed wanting to work beyond television, including digital projects and events, and spoke about criticism of her public persona and what she saw as unequal scrutiny of women journalists. Those remarks describe her ambitions and interpretation in 2015, not her current role or a verified comparison of how journalists are treated.
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Asked to characterize herself—as a reporter, anchor, or editor—she answered: “Reporter. Always.” In a separate exchange about gender politics, she chose the word “Unapologetic.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is the interview useful for?
Read it as a primary source for how Dutt framed several tensions in journalism: audience demand versus editorial responsibility, speed versus verification, social-media awareness versus editorial independence, and accountability versus personal or gendered scrutiny. It is not evidence on its own for audience behavior, disputed events, or her present-day professional status.
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A closing note in the interview said her first book, This Unquiet Land: An Exploration of India’s Fault Lines, was expected from Aleph Book Company at the end of 2015. That brief note is incidental to the conversation and does not establish the book’s present availability.
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Read the interview on Scroll.in.
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