Once heralded as the Fourth Pillar of Democracy, journalism in India today stands precariously weakened by something more insidious: the steady invasion of public relations, the dominance of corporate messaging, and the deliberate spread of false narratives.

Nowhere is this erosion more visible than in the realm of local journalism. In this very space, the realities of rural distress, grassroots activism, environmental degradation, and marginalised communities are supposed to be reported with clarity and compassion.

Read in Hindi: भारत के पीआर-प्रभावित मीडिया में कराहती पत्रकारिता

Instead, these stories are increasingly replaced by sanitised press releases, forwarded WhatsApp updates, and rehearsed soundbites from PR agencies acting on behalf of politicians, corporations, or religious organisations, says social commentator, Prof Paras Nath Choudhary.

In India, more than 80 per cent of newsrooms in small towns and cities now rely heavily on pre-drafted press releases, according to a recent survey by the Centre for Media Studies. With shrinking revenues, skeletal editorial teams, and mounting political pressures, editors often find it more feasible to run agency or PR content than to fund original reporting.

The consequence? A bland sameness in reporting. A school opening in Agra, a sanitation drive in Indore, or a medical camp in Gaya—each reported with identical phrases, devoid of local flavour, community voices, or critical insight. The press has become overly dependent on daily press releases from government information departments, as well as from various agencies such as railways, defence, and police.

A retired media person, T Joshi, says, "This homogenization undermines the very purpose of the press: to reflect diverse realities and scrutinise power." Worse still, it is often accompanied by unethical practices. Journalists—especially freelancers and stringers—routinely face pressure to publish favourable news in exchange for ‘envelopes’ containing cash, invitations to sponsored junkets, or gifts during election season.

In Uttar Pradesh, for instance, several reporters admitted in informal surveys that accepting cash or favours from local leaders has become normalised. A former UP chief minister allotted plots for free in a posh colony.

Add to this the dangerous rise of fake news. India now ranks among the top countries affected by misinformation, particularly during elections. Deepfake videos, manipulated statistics, and provocative sectarian content flood social media, often originating from political IT cells or ideologically driven groups, adds ex-journalism faculty member Joshi DB.

In 2024, the fact-checking platform Alt News reported a 40 per cent increase in viral misinformation compared to the previous year, much of it amplified by mainstream channels chasing TRPs.

Senior journalists feel the consequences of this toxic blend of PR-dominated content, fake news, and paid media are grave. Audiences, especially the youth, are increasingly sceptical of mainstream news. Trust is eroding. A 2023 study found that only 36 per cent of Indians said they trusted the news they consumed. This distrust creates a vacuum that alternative, often unverified, information sources rush to fill.

This collapse in credibility also affects democracy. A free press is not just a mirror to society but its conscience. When the media fails to challenge authority, ask uncomfortable questions, or amplify unheard voices, it betrays its democratic mandate. In India, where elections are often won through perception rather than performance, a compromised media becomes a tool for propaganda rather than a check on power, according to a Bihar academic, TP Srivastava.

What can be done? First, media houses must invest in grassroots journalism again. Citizen reporters, local correspondents, and issue-based investigative teams must be supported, not sidelined. Journalism schools should emphasise ethics and field reporting over clickbait culture. Government policies must ensure transparency in media funding and penalise paid news, a practice the Press Council of India has repeatedly flagged but rarely sees action against.

Let us not merely mourn the decline of journalism. Let us demand its revival—rooted in integrity, powered by truth, and committed to democracy.