The Political is Populist: Talk Shows, Political Debates, and the Middle-Class Public Sphere in India

Abstract

Emerging literature on the rapid rise of 24-hour commercial news television in India in the last decade, as well as popular and editorial commentary on the above phenomenon, suggests that these channels are playing the role of mediators for the middle classes. While the news content is widely believed to be sensationalised for the sake of attaining higher ratings in an overcrowded and competitive market, political talk shows have turned into the analytical and narrative extension of news segments. By including the ordinary – mostly through its mediation by middle-class experts and journalists – these talk shows have turned into the popular culture equivalent of a public sphere for middle-class discussions of pertinent political issues. This article traces the genealogy of a long-standing political talk show on one of India's longest-running commercial networks, NDTV 24×7's We the People, to demonstrate its attempts to mirror an inclusive Indian public sphere. Further, in light of the recent middle classled anti-corruption movement in India, and subsequent conclusions about the weakening of the state, an episode of the talk show titled ‘Anna and the Great Indian Middle Class' is subject to a detailed textual analysis. The purpose of this analysis is to demonstrate the show's construction of: (a) corruption as a pan-Indian, and not just a middle-class, issue; (b) the middle class itself as a homogeneous group; and (c) the televisual public sphere (and not a community consultation involving representatives of the state) as a place for establishing populist consensus. Literature on new political television and theories of the public sphere are used as theoretical springboards throughout the article.

‘Let’s hear how students feel …’: Representations of schooling on news television in India

“…It also underlines the need for more research about the lived experiences of children who enjoy relative educational privilege. I anticipate some natural synergies between this line of scholarship and the emerging literature on the relationship between class and media in globalising India (Banaji, 2012;Khorana, 2014). 7.…”

Mobilizing Citizens at Their Level: A Case Study of Public Engagement

“…The amount of time given to experts and professionals decreased with time, diluting instead of strengthening Habermas' concept of the public sphere (Örnebring 2003). However, unlike the argumentative tradition of talk shows (Khorana 2014;Parameswaran 2012) SMJ is more informative and change-oriented because it places issues in their larger societal context. SMJ positions itself not by genre but by its purpose to remind the public about the democratic nature of the country and establish a moral compass (Kumar 2014), creating a context to mobilize.…”

“…We the People (WTP), a show similar to SMJ, has aired since 2001 on NDTV. However the series, broadcasted only in English, does not make provisions for viewer feedback (Khorana 2014). A focus on celebrity and upper-middle class guests limits WTP's audience to the elite (Khorana 2014).…”

“…However the series, broadcasted only in English, does not make provisions for viewer feedback (Khorana 2014). A focus on celebrity and upper-middle class guests limits WTP's audience to the elite (Khorana 2014). In comparison to WTP, where Barkha Dutt, a journalist, performs as a celebrity (Parameswaran 2012), SMJ's Khan is an actor who presents himself as a commoner to create homophily with the audience.…”