Prof Shashi Shekhar Singh of the Department of Political Science, University of Delhi, delivered a keynote address at the Two-day International Conference on “Media, Populism, and Democracy” held at Nagaland University, which began on March 27, 2025.
According to Prof Singh, while democracy is a system of government and populism is a political approach that involves addressing people directly, the role of the media is critical, he asserted. He classified media into three categories: state-controlled, corporate-controlled, and people-controlled. While the media in most countries is primarily corporate-controlled, he pointed out that there are also instances where the state and corporate interests are closely linked.
Since democracies require informed citizens who periodically decide whom to vote for, he stressed that the media has a responsibility to extract the truth and present it to the people.
Misinformation, he said, poses a serious problem for democracy and distorts the democratic process. He supported his arguments by referring to both historical and contemporary contexts.
Jagadish K Patnaik, the Vice-Chancellor of Nagaland University, who served as the special guest, discussed the evolution of the media and its impact on society. He emphasized that a strong civil society, responsible political leadership, and an independent media are essential for democracy to thrive.
Dr G Chandra Sekaran, Assistant Professor at the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies, Nagaland University, concluded the session with a vote of thanks. The event was organized by the Department of Political Science in association with the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies.