When anchors spread rancour

Public culture in India, especially in the past decade, is not a fan of accountability.

- SWARA BHASKER

Politicians have never been a fan of accountability. It seems the dominant among the journalistic community, too, do not like to be held accountable. Ironic, because the very definition of the word journalism assumes a sense of accountability. Journalism is defined by the Encyclopaedia Britannica as "the collection, preparation, and distribution of news and related commentary and feature materials through such print and electronic media." And the word news can be defined as "reporting or intelligence of an event that has lately taken place."

Both definitions assume the centrality of events taking place, things happening, or facts. Thus, journalism has come to assume a certain objectivity and neutrality when reporting these facts, if it is to be considered serious journalism. So when journalism came to include interviews and commentaries, it became protocol to hold interviewees and commentators accountable if they made claims that were misleading.