OTV Foresight 2026: Smita Prakash flags Delhi-centric bias in national media, calls out audience behaviour

Speaking at OTV’s Foresight 2026, Editor-in-Chief of ANI, Smita Prakash highlighted the long-standing relationship between ANI and Odisha, and underscored the importance of amplifying stories beyond the Delhi-centric news ecosystem.

She said ANI’s association with OTV goes back several years and stressed that from the very beginning, the agency focused on bringing regional stories to the national platform rather than limiting coverage to power corridors in the capital.

‘Regional Issues Rarely Made It To Prime Time’

Recalling the early days of Indian broadcast journalism, Smita noted that television and radio were once state-controlled, with news bulletins largely restricted to coverage of the Prime Minister, President, cricket and national events like Republic Day. Regional issues rarely made it to prime time, she said.

“It took time for media to shift focus towards small-town India. Until states like Odisha and Andhra Pradesh were hit by devastating cyclones, regional struggles hardly found space in national discourse,” she observed.

Smita Prakash On Audience Behaviour

She also called out audience behaviour, and said viewers also share responsibility for the nature of content that dominates television. She pointed out that sensationalism thrives because audiences are drawn to confrontation-driven debates. 

“We, as viewers, have the power to change channels. But we are conditioned to consume negativity. If there are no fights or abuses in debates, people don’t watch. It is up to the audience to stop rewarding such content,” she said.

On constructive journalism, Smita described it as a delicate balancing act, one that must highlight social evils like rapes, but also be mindful of national interest.

“If we speak continuously about rapes, our enemy countries will use it against us. We are being seen as a ‘rape nation’. People see us as rapists. So, it is the job of the media to speak against atrocities, rapes and crimes. But, at the same time, be also mindful of national interest,” Smita said.

This will damage India’s global image and, affect diplomacy, investments and economic confidence, she added.

‘Godi Media Tag Doesn’t Matter For Us’

Addressing the ‘Godi media’ tag, Smita said journalists must not fear labels. She recalled how earlier the BJP branded media as ‘Sonia media’ or ‘news traders’. So, it doesn’t matter if we are called ‘Godi Media’, she said and asserted that political pressure should never dictate journalistic integrity.

She also criticised political parties for what she called ‘lazy tactics’ for banning anchors, channels and media platforms instead of engaging with criticism.

Also Read: OTV Foresight 2026: Odisha doesn’t need front-page validation, says Arnab Goswami

‘AI’s Impact On Journalism Is Inevitable’

Speaking on the rising influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Smita affirmed that technology will indeed reshape every sector, from medicine, storytelling to news reporting. 

While acknowledging that AI may replace certain jobs, she said its impact on journalism is inevitable as technology continues to evolve rapidly.

“Many things are going to change. The future of news will be very different from what we know today,” she concluded.