Power, Press and Politics

How was god-man Chandraswami exposed despite the tantric guru's close association with prominent leaders and media barons? How did Alok Mehta expose the Fodder Scam in 1990 that eventually led to the arrest of Lalu Prasad Yadav? How did editors and investigative correspondents reveal murky arms deals, such as the Bofors scandal? Is 'paid news' the new normal in Indian media? How did this game of corruption start? What were the political pressures on senior editors like Vinod Mehta and Kuldip Nayar that led to their resignation? Power, Press and Politics is a groundbreaking, insider account of the workings of the Indian media-both print and electronic, and English, Hindi and regional publications-from acclaimed journalist and Padma Shri awardee Alok Mehta. Deriving from his experience spanning across 50 years, Mehta brings to life these incidents and cases as he had been right in the eye of these storms. Starting his career from a news agency and a Hindi daily, Mehta had worked with leading media houses, such as The Times of India, Hindustan Times, Outlook Group, Dainik Bhaskar and Naidunia, sharing a close association with some of the finest editors and journalists of the country. Citing various landmark cases and judgements, Mehta throws light on the delicate balance between the media and judiciary, both of which are crucial to the health of our democracy. Having helmed the Editors Guild of India, he has had the privileged access to various significant reports, which have been included in this splendidly researched work. A powerful commentary on the Indian media, this is a must-read for media students, institutions and anyone who wishes to understand the working and challenges of the media.