Some Predictions about Modi's Media Management

Given the way leading media houses and persons used the 2002 riots to hound Modi in the last 12 years, there is understandable anxiety among journalists about their own predicament with Modi at the helm of affairs in Delhi. From whatever little I have understood of Narendra Modi’s style of governance, here are some predictions regarding how NaMo is likely to define his relationship to the media and his style of governance. If I am proven wrong, I would have to admit, like most others, that I have failed to understand Narendra Modi.

Firstly, all those aspiring to get a placement in the PMO are likely to be in for a major heartbreak because Modi will never have a Vajpayee style PMO which allowed political minions of dubious credentials to run amok. Modi’s PMO is likely to be like his CMO in Gujarat – manned by hardworking bureaucrats along a compact team of IT savvy idealistic youngsters of the kind that form the highly professional CAG core team—capable of warding off media attention. None of these are likely to have the inclination to become high profile fixers like Pramod Mahajan. In fact, the days of fixers and touts in PMO are over. Such people will be in high demand in what will be left of the Congress Party post elections. It will be desperately scouting for more Vaghelas and Tarun Tejpals to cook up trouble and false cases against Modi.

Likewise, Modi is unlikely to oblige all those drooling over the possibility of becoming his media advisors. Modi is not likely to depend on any Harish Khare or Pankaj Pachauri to “manage” the media. The job is likely to be handled by the Department of Information, as was being done in Gujarat. He will establish clear rules about media access and is not likely to allow an elite journalistic coterie to emerge around him, leave alone have favourites who can presume to broker deals with the Radias of corporate houses.

While Modi is likely to give higher priority to Hindi and regional media channels and newspapers, those who expect him to be vindictive towards media persons who hounded him all these years are also likely to be disappointed. It will be enough punishment for bloated egos that they can’t claim privileged access and will have to stand in the same queue as anyone else. But the days of journos being wined and dined are likely to be over.

As in Gujarat, overtime, Modi will want to discipline his Cabinet as well as BJP MPs that they don’t pamper and use select journalists by “leaking” information against each other. There is likely to be a set system for ministerial interaction with the press. Since decisions in Modi’s government are going to be policy driven and not sultani farmans or hush-hush deals, most of the information will be available in the public domain. Journalists will have to get into the habit of reading ministerial websites rather than be content with mere “sound bytes.”

There is another surprise in store for media persons. No matter how negatively they write about Narendra Modi, their proprietors are not likely to get phone calls from the PMO asking that the paper change its tune to suit the regime. Siddharth Vardarajans will have to cook up more credible tales than alleging that their chowkidars are beaten up in order to terrorize them into giving up their undying hostility to Modi. Modi is unlikely to oblige them with the halo of martyrdom.

Modi is likely to give the media its first its first taste of freedom in many decades. But many won’t like it because it will also mean end to bribes, freebies and special favours.

I would be both surprised and disappointed if Modi does not start his act of “fixing” the media by institutionalizing and assuring through personal conduct, genuine freedom and autonomy to Doordarshan and All India Radio while simultaneously bringing in high quality professional management to run these two mammoth institutions whose potential has been severely damaged due to slavery inflicted on them. I expect Modi to push Doordarshan and AIR into becoming premier institutions of free, fair and responsible journalism of such high credibility and professional standards that private media houses are forced to mend their ways.

If all these expectations are belied by Narendra Modi after becoming PM, I would have no hesitation in admitting that I went horribly wrong in understanding him.