Manipur Press Club Foundation Day: Concern Over Imphal Based Media Houses’ Bias Reporting

In an address during the 49th foundation day celebrations of the Manipur Press Club, Governor Anusuiya Uikey highlighted the formidable challenges and difficulties faced by the media fraternity, particularly in conflict-ridden states like Manipur. Stating the vital role of journalists, she urged them not to succumb to threats and pressures, emphasizing the importance of delivering unbiased, accurate, and clear reports.

However, the perception of biased news reporting can be a concern in strife torn state like Manipur, especially the Imphal valley based Meitei media houses. The Imphal-based media houses are exhibiting bias in their reporting with an attempt to malign the image of a particular community.

When dealing with constant bias, fake, or concocted news reports, it’s crucial to approach information critically and seek reliable sources. But there have been several instances where the Meitei media houses have resorted to publishing unverified news without authenticating its authenticity. Their partiality in their news report is evident, and on some occasions they rather presented themselves as propaganda paper than their supposed purpose.

Many of their news reports are unsubstantiated claims, lacking credible evidence or verification; fabricated information, falsehoods or concocted details presented as facts; misinformation, inaccurate or misleading information; disinformation, deliberately false information spread to deceive or manipulate; propaganda, information, often biased or misleading, designed to promote the interest of a particular community; sensationalism:, reporting that exaggerates details to evoke strong emotions; partisan reporting, news coverage that shows a clear bias in favor of a Meitei community and their ideological stance; manipulative reporting, presenting information in a way that influences perception without regard for objectivity, biased narrative: presenting information with a pre-existing bias that influences the interpretation of events, factually incorrect reports, news stories that contain inaccuracies or errors and questionable sources.

To ascertain the veracity of claims that the media in Manipur was biased and potentially divisive, the Editors Guild of India (EGI) sent a three member fact-finding team to Manipur in the month of August 2023 after Indian Army’s 3rd Corps headquarters submitted a written complaint, expressing concerns that the media in Manipur was displaying a biased stance in the ongoing ethnic conflict, potentially obstructing the path to peace.

Following its fact-finding mission, the EGI had reported that during Manipur violence, some of the state’s journalists predominantly penned one-sided stories. The EGI team observed that some of the media in Manipur seemingly transformed into a Meitei-centric platform during the conflict, with editors collaborating and agreeing on a unified narrative or language to recount events. The state government displayed evident partiality during the conflict. There’s a predominance of the Meitei community in the government, police, and bureaucracy in Imphal, leading to a deep-seated lack of trust among the tribal people residing in the Hills. The EGI’s report cites over ten instances of local media disseminating fake news and misinformation.

The EGI fact-finding team was not the only one who faced legal consequences after releasing a report on Manipur violence. Previously, in July, Annie Raja, Nisha Siddhu, and Deeksha Dwivedi from the National Federation of Indian Women’s team faced legal action. Their report claimed Manipur was undergoing “state-sponsored violence.”

The role of media in intensifying Manipur violence is a complex and debated topic. While media plays a crucial role in disseminating information, fostering public awareness, and promoting open discourse, the Meitei media houses on the other have unintended consequences that contribute to the escalation of violence.

It’s essential to note that media can also play a positive role in conflict resolution by promoting dialogue, understanding, and providing accurate information. Responsible journalism, adherence to ethical standards, and a commitment to impartiality are crucial in mitigating the unintended consequences of media involvement in conflict situations which the Meitei media houses are expected of.