By straying away from the conventions of a news report the journalist portrays his stance against

the centre in an obscured fashion

The following analysis is focused on a news report published in March 2023 and written by
Aryan Prakash for The Hindustan Times. In the report, Prakash is concerned with informing
the public that Rahul Gandhi has returned from abroad and may attend the next session of the
Indian parliament, providing information about his current whereabouts, and speculating
about future conflicts that may arise due to comments he made abroad; however, the report
more specifically explores the assumption that telling the truth about a country’s flaws or
mistakes constitutes defamation and anti-nationalism, which is a misguided and dangerous
notion that undermines the principle of free speech. While this debate is evident in the report,
Prakash attempts to maintain objectivity in the report by using an inverted pyramid structure,
embedded interviews, images, and diction that shows a detached tone.

- Inverted pyramid structure (Para 1)

- Include a concise and attention grabbing headline (title) that is not misleading.
- Segmented in paragraphs
- talks about the 5ws and h in the first paragraph, ends on an interview
- Written in 3rd person.
- The tense used is past tense, to inform people about what is already done

- Embedded interviews (Para 2)

- Showcase varied perspectives to give an objective view of the situation
- ellipses indicate some parts have been condensed from the interview- selection
bias- (the choice of what content to include and what to exclude)
- Rhetorical question in the last interview
- Hyperbolic language used in one of the quotes (EVERYBODY is demanding
an apology, when its likely only the BJP)
- brings out pathos in the audience
- Possibility of selection bias
Structure (inverted pyramid)

1. Standfirst does not the 5whs

2. It does not end with a summary, instead ends with a quote from the Congress
questioning the BJP
3. An intro and conclusion shows intent, the congress is in both the intro and conclusion
showing stance against BJP censorship agenda

Diction that shows a detached tone

1. Allegedly and likely for congress vs. accused and demanding for BJP
2. BJP is central government but addresses like another party, undermining/not
acknowledging them as the head of state
3. Microphones turned off-connoting censorship by the government
4. Author subtly giving his point of view on the entire situation (Para 4)
5. Does this in a very hidden and obscured manner which also contributes to the
censorship of the press from saying anything bad about the government
6. Interviews- collectivistic culture (secular India vs. BJP followers)
7. The language used is factual, objective, and straightforward, avoiding any metaphors,
similes, or other figures of speech that would add to the stylistic or emotional impact
of the article.
8. The purpose of the article is to report on the return of a political figure and the
potential impact on the ongoing political dispute in Parliament, and the language used
reflects this informative and formal tone.
Image

1. Salience- separates from everybody, state vs Gandhi, putting him on a pedestal,

addressing the public as a head of state
2. Camera- under scrutiny, censorship of the government, undermines the importance of
free speech and expression

Conclusion

India is heralded as the largest democratic state, this article confronts that claim, by criticising