From reel to reality: Exploring the notion of objectivity and media ethics through the film ‘New Delhi Times’

Abstract

An award winning and critically acclaimed movie, New Delhi Times is among a very few films which grapples with the dark and dubious relationship of politics, media, and corruption. The film debates on the traditional construction of objectivity in news reporting. It sets our sight on the journalistic ethics by reviving the debate whether if a journalist is covering a riot, should he or she help a wounded victim on the road or rejoice at a perfect photograph or a story he or she has chanced upon? In the contemporary media scenario, journalists are often accused of compromising the ethical standards while reporting a disaster or a tragedy. Taking the film as a case study, this paper ponders on the desensitization of media professionals towards tragedies and questions the role of a journalist as a detached observer or someone who bears the obligation of unravelling truth behind the incident.