Reporters Without Orders Ep 131: The media frenzy around Rhea Chakraborty and how not to cover a rape

In this edition, host Snigdha Sharma is joined by Newslaundry’s Prateek Goyal and Supriti David.

The trio first look back at the most bizarre headlines they came across this week. Supriti chooses an awful new TikTok craze, in which certain users dressed up as and pretend to be Holocaust victims, while Snigdha briefs us on U.S. President Donald Trump’s contentious trip to Kenosha, Wisconsin, where incidents of police brutality and vigilantism occurred this week.

Prateek tells us about a story closer to home, wherein Times Now anchor Rahul Shivshankar berated a panelist who tried talking about India’s GDP slump instead of the frenzied media ‘investigation’ into the death of Sushant Singh Rajput. This prompts a conversation about Rhea Chakraborty’s unending trial by media. As Supriti puts it, “The media, which is supposed to be the fourth pillar of democracy, has been adding fuel to fire.” Prateek spent a day observing reporters outside Chakraborty’s house, and describes what he saw in distressing detail.

The media’s recent indifference to ethics extends far past Bollywood, Supriti explains. Her recent investigative piece details how in Assam, journalists are accused of driving a survivor of child rape to attempt suicide. Local reporters repeatedly evaded legal procedure and invaded the victim’s privacy.

All this and a lot more as they talk about what made news this week, what didn’t, and what shouldn’t have. Tune in!

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