Where is our media’s humanity?
As the nation grapples with the horrifying Air India AI171 tragedy that claimed 241 lives, including 75 medical students and entire families, a parallel tragedy unfolded—this time not in the skies but on the ground, in front of cameras. It wasn’t caused by mechanical failure or misjudgment in flight. It was the media, and its complete breakdown of empathy, discretion, and basic human decency.
Within minutes of the crash, major news outlets had stationed themselves outside hospitals, homes, and morgues. Reporters shoved microphones into the faces of grieving parents. Cameras zoomed in on sobbing children. There was no pause, no silence, no respect. The pain of others was converted into a spectacle. Families barely able to stand were asked, “How do you feel?” while red tickers flashed across screens pushing “exclusive coverage.”
This is not journalism. This is emotional exploitation. Somewhere along the way, chasing TRPs seems to have replaced every remaining shred of ethics in large parts of the media. And the cost is unbearable. People are not headlines. Grief is not content. Tragedy is not a brand story. What happened on June 12 was a national emergency, not a ratings opportunity.
India has a Press Council and basic guidelines around sensitivity. But clearly, they are not being followed. In moments of national mourning, there must be boundaries. There must be accountability for those who violate them. This is a time for facts, compassion, and silence where silence is necessary. Instead, we are witnessing newsrooms competing to see who can be more invasive, more aggressive, more insensitive.
It is unacceptable. Victims’ families should not have to defend their right to grieve in peace. Survivors should not be retraumatized by repeat loops of horrific footage. Communities should not feel like they are being watched through a lens that cares only about breaking the news first.
This isn’t the first time. We have seen this behaviour after every major disaster—flights, natural calamities, terror attacks. The same cycle repeats because there is no penalty for crossing the line. It is time for the media to introspect. It is time to revisit journalistic values rooted in humanity and dignity.
The Akancha Srivastava Foundation strongly urges all media platforms to adopt and enforce clear ethical codes of conduct during crisis coverage. Public platforms come with responsibility. Sensationalism must never be allowed to overshadow humanity. We must remind ourselves that decency is not optional. It is the foundation of a civilized society.
Let us not allow the lens of a camera to blind us to basic morality. In the pursuit of truth, let us not forget compassion.
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