Chennai: N. Ram, Director of The Hindu Publishing Group and Trustee of the Asian College of Journalism, has called for stronger state intervention to address the lack of diversity in Indian newsrooms. Speaking at the inaugural of a residential journalism workshop for students from rural, Scheduled Castes, and vulnerable communities, he said representation from marginalized groups is growing too slowly and is almost absent at the editorial and leadership level.
Ram noted that while some voices of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are visible on social media, their presence in mainstream media remains far below the required level. Citing a study on social media and Dalit presence, he said it is not enough to acknowledge the injustice. Instead, their presence in decision-making spaces must be enforced. He reminded the audience that Dr. B.R. Ambedkar had long criticized the press for sidelining marginalized communities while promoting the interests of the ruling elite.
For the Muslim community, Ram’s words hold particular importance. Muslims and Islam often face negative press coverage and Islamophobic content. While there is some Muslim presence in media, it is limited to reporting roles and rarely extends to editorial positions where key decisions are made. This absence affects how stories about Muslims are framed and how their concerns are represented. Critics within the community stress that without policy-backed inclusion at higher levels, these biases will continue unchecked.
