The Other Side of the Mic: A Journalist Chaupal in Muzaffarpur
Journalists in Muzaffarpur in Bihar speak on PM Modi’s interviews & RJD vs Nitish Kumar contest in the state.
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Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma
The Quint spoke to journalists in Muzaffarpur in Bihar to understand everything from the inside story of Lalu Prasad Yadav, Nitish Kumar and PM Modi to what the voters' mood is with 2019 Lok Sabha elections around the corner.
One being asked whether journalists in Bihar are under pressure, Madan Kumar, a journalist, replied, "Journalism is being questioned and is being tarnished due to a few people. They aren't able to work freely and often get asked which ‘side’ they represent. Recently, PM Narendra Modi was interviewed by actor Akshay Kumar, which led to the question on why journalists are not given the same kind of access to PM Modi.”
Speaking on the issue, Sujeet Kumar Pappu, a journalist, said, "Social media has transformed journalism. What does PM Modi want to convey by giving an interview to Akshay Kumar? Is there a dearth of anchors and reporters?"
Another fellow journalist, Sachidanand echoed the sentiment and said, "Many journalists have been asking PM Modi for an interview. How does a non-political interview make sense in an election season?"
Commenting on the interview, Sukant Saurabh said, "It was a namesake 'non-political' interview. They tried to change PM Modi's image through it."
Watch the full chaupal above.
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