Skip to content Skip to navigation

JFA defies Outlook terming it bias

Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA), while expressing concern at the attitude of a national magazine to portray the editor of a satellite news channel in negative light, argues that the magazine only shows its bias against Arnab Goswami rather than highlighting bigger causes of ruin in the Indian television media.

Reacting to the latest issue of Outlook, where an article on the editor-anchor of Times Now is published as a cover page story with the highlight ‘The Man Who Killed TV News’, the Assam based journalist forum pointed out ‘criticizing a particular editor of a news channel as being the murderer of the television journalism is uncalled for’. “Is Indian journalism is so week that one Arnab Goswami can destroy it,” questioned a JFA statement issued by its president Rupam Barua and secretary Nava Thakuria.

One may not like the way of journalistic exercises adopted by the management of Times Now (so thus Arnab Goswami), but it should not be blamed alone as the other channels (namely NewsX, Headlines Today, Zee etc) have also been doing the same, probably in different size and shape.

“What is amazing that the former editor of Outlook was a regular participant of Goswami’s Newshour debate. Was the present editorial team of Outlook waiting for the founding editor’s departure to publish the cover page article on Goswami?”, added the JFA statement. The forum also pointed out that the so-called national magazines never publish editorials (nor even articles) narrating the difficulties of thousands of television employees as they are deprived of a statutory wage board benefits. Not to speak of television journalists, the sizable number of print journalists across the country is still deprived of some basic minimum facilities till date.

“Show us an editorial of Outlook since its inception, where the plight of the media employees is highlighted?’ concluded the statement adding “When the journalists and other employees of newspapers & news agencies in India are entitled for the benefits of Majithia Wage Board, the employees of television channels are deprived of the same. Is it not a persistent destroyer of the medium?”

Author info

AT News's picture

Assam Times Staff. editor@assamtimes.org

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

In a grim reminder of the city’s crumbling urban infrastructure, four lives were lost within 48 hours after heavy rains triggered widespread artificial flooding across Guwahati. What should have been a seasonal downpour instead exposed a deadly mix of neglected drains, poor planning, and administrative failure. The first victim, Payel Nath Das (around 30), a Dharapur resident working at a jewellery shop on GS Road, met a tragic end on the night of April 19. At around 9:30 pm, while wading through knee-deep water at Maligaon Chariali, she slipped into an uncovered roadside drain concealed beneath floodwaters. Her body was recovered 150–250 metres away the next morning by SDRF personnel...
Voting for the Assam Assembly elections gathered steady momentum through the morning hours on April 9, with scenes from across the state reflecting a strong and participatory democratic exercise. By mid-morning, polling booths were already witnessing long queues, as men and women, young voters and the elderly alike, stepped out early to cast their votes. The initial hours after 9 AM saw a smooth and peaceful polling process, backed by visible security presence and efficient booth management. In Guwahati, the day unfolded with a calm yet purposeful energy. Polling stations across the city saw a steady stream of voters, many arriving with family members, some even accompanied by children,...
Susovan Sonu Roy has steadily carved a place for himself across multiple creative fields—Bengali television, modelling, and films—building his career through persistence, training, and adaptability. Born in Howrah, Susovan spent his formative years between Kolkata and Guwahati. His early life was marked by hardship after losing his father in an accident at a young age. Raised by his mother under challenging circumstances, he went on to complete his graduation in Commerce from Dum Dum Motijheel Rabindra Mahavidyalaya in 2016. His entry into the performing arts began with dance. Driven by interest, he joined a dance institute where he trained in Western dance for nearly two years....
A major political controversy has erupted around Himanta Biswa Sarma after the Congress party levelled serious allegations regarding the alleged accumulation of vast wealth abroad by his family, particularly involving his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma. According to a report by The Wire, Congress leader Pawan Khera claimed that assets worth nearly ₹52,000 crore have been stashed overseas, particularly in the United States, through a company allegedly linked to the Chief Minister’s family. At a press conference in New Delhi, Khera alleged that Riniki Bhuyan Sarma holds multiple foreign passports and questioned the source of such large-scale wealth. He further demanded a probe and even called...
Guwahati, April 3, 2026: The Moung-Dun-Chun-Kham State Demand Committee and the Moung-Dun-Chun-Kham People’s Party on Friday held a press conference at the Dispur Press Club, reiterating their demand for permanent political rights and autonomy for the Tai-Ahom community in Assam. Addressing the media, representatives of the organisations stated that despite the Tai-Ahom community’s historical and demographic significance, successive governments have failed to provide meaningful constitutional safeguards. “At present, almost all indigenous communities of Assam… have been raising demands for autonomy or self-determination under the Indian Constitution,” the press release noted,...
A three-day workshop titled “Youth Leaders for Rivers: Learning Workshop” concluded today at the Cachar Club Conference Hall, bringing together young leaders from across the region to collaborate on river governance, water rights and community resilience. Organized by the North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS) with support from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the event was held from March 24 to 26 under the Youth Basin Ambassadors (YBA) initiative. It aimed to connect youth working across the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna Basin and deepen their understanding of river systems, governance challenges and community-driven solutions. Participants included...
Tinsukia, March 22:  Suspected militants of the banned outfit United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) (ULFA-I) launched a pre-dawn attack on an Assam Police commando camp in the Jagun area of Tinsukia district, leaving at least four security personnel injured. According to reports, the militants attacked the camp around 2 a.m., allegedly lobbing several grenades and opening fire with automatic weapons. Security forces retaliated, leading to an exchange of fire that lasted for several minutes before the attackers fled the scene. The injured personnel were later shifted to a hospital in Dibrugarh for treatment. Following the attack, Army and police units launched a joint...
WWF-India, in collaboration with Samagra Shiksha Assam, felicitated five top-performing schools under the ‘Mission Prakriti’ programme for 2025–26 at a ceremony in Guwahati. The initiative promotes environmental awareness among students through themes like biodiversity, water, waste, food, and energy. In Assam, the programme covers over 4,700 schools across all districts. The award-winning schools include Natun Fatasil Town HS (Kamrup Metro), Sakai Khangia High School (Jorhat), Bishnu Jyoti MES (Sonitpur), PM Shri Jamira HS School (Hailakandi), and PM Shri Gossaigaon Girls HS School (Kokrajhar). Tinsukia district was also recognised as the best-performing district. Officials...
Jorhat: Tirtha Prasad Saikia, Director of the North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS), an indigenous civil society organisation based in Jorhat, Assam, has been appointed as the Constituency Focal Point for the People Affected by Conflict and Disaster Constituency of the Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM). APRCEM is a regional civil society platform that brings together organisations across Asia and the Pacific to engage with intergovernmental processes on sustainable development, particularly the implementation and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through this organisational role,...
SHILLONG, Mar 11: The Meghalaya government has postponed the elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) that were scheduled to be held on April 10, 2026, following violent clashes in West Garo Hills that left two people dead. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma announced the decision on Wednesday, saying the state government reviewed the prevailing law-and-order situation in the Garo Hills region before deciding to defer the polls. The unrest erupted during the nomination process in Chibinang in West Garo Hills, where clashes broke out between groups supporting and opposing the participation of non-tribal candidates in the GHADC elections. Two persons were killed...