‘Systematic Anti-Muslim Bias’ Continues on Kerala TV Channels

A persistent pattern of Islamophobia, or anti-Muslim news coverage, has emerged on Malayalam television channels in Kerala. According to a new report by an organisation called ‘Islamophobia Watch’, at least 120 news reports and programmes containing anti-Muslim content were broadcast on various Malayalam channels between January 2024 and September 2026.

Titled “Islamophobia in Malayalam TV Channels: 120 Broadcasts (January 2024 to September 2026),” the report analysed nearly 1,000 days of news reports, headlines, talk shows and visual presentations.

The report said anti-Muslim attitudes in the Malayalam media are not isolated incidents or the personal outbursts of individual journalists; rather, they are part of structural newsroom practices.

Same pattern found in mainstream channels

While the Hindutva-linked Janam TV topped the list, evidence of similar content was also found on popular mainstream channels such as Asianet News, Manorama News, 24 News and Mathrubhumi News.

The report said News18 Kerala deserves particular scrutiny because both the number and severity of such reports were high.

It also highlighted links between media ownership, editorial leadership and political organisations. For example, the report mentioned that Reporter TV Managing Director Anto Augustine had previously been associated with the Kerala Congress, an NDA ally. Similarly, it referred to Big TV Editor-in-Chief Sujaya Parvathy’s public support for the Sangh Parivar. It also mentioned Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar in connection with the ownership of Asianet News.

Definition of ‘Islamophobic broadcasts’ and notable incidents

The report clarified that not every report critical of Muslims or Islam was classified as ‘Islamophobic’.

Rather, it identified broadcasts that repeatedly portrayed the Muslim community as suspicious, extremist, a threat to security, intolerant or socially backward. It also analysed the tendency to attribute an individual’s crime to the entire community, apply double standards to Muslim political and social activities, and portray Muslims as ‘separate or foreign’ through headlines or graphics.

Poocha Veterinary College (February 2024): Following the death of a student, Janam TV described the incident as “campus Talibanism”, although there was no direct connection between the incident and any Muslim organisation.

Poonjar church premises incident (February 2024): News18 initially reported that a priest had been hit by a motorcycle and later said he had been hit by a car. According to the report, the frequent changes in the information contributed to portraying the entire incident as a planned attack.

Rameshwaram Cafe blast (March 2024): In reporting the detention of a suspect named Shabir, 24 News claimed that he was the “main accused”. The NIA later clarified that no one had been arrested at that point and warned against spreading speculation. Following this, Asianet News withdrew its report.

Manorama News controversy (April 2024): A talk show discussed whether the UDF should accept political support from the SDPI. Although representatives of the RSS, BJP, CPI(M) and Congress were present, no representative of the SDPI was invited to explain the party’s position. The report said this reflected media Islamophobia by denying a minority political party the opportunity to present its views.

‘Double standards’ in news coverage

The report also highlighted discrimination in coverage of mob attacks in different parts of Kerala. In March 2024, an incident in Muslim-majority Malappuram was reported by Asianet News under the headline “Malappuram Mob Attack”. However, a similar incident in Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district shortly afterwards was described by 24 News as a local incident, without associating the entire district with the crime.

The report also strongly criticised Doordarshan’s broadcast of the controversial film The Kerala Story on April 5 during campaigning for the 2024 Lok Sabha election. The film’s claims that Hindu and Christian women were converted and recruited into ISIS had been widely disputed.

According to Islamophobia Watch, the structural nature of the problem in newsrooms can be understood from patterns in news selection, editorial priorities, language, images used and the composition of invited guest panels.

The report said, “The key concern here is how the increasingly politically powerful Hindutva atmosphere and societal prejudices against Muslims are influencing the day-to-day functioning of newsrooms.”

At the same time, the report acknowledged that some of the channels accused of Islamophobia have, at various times, also broadcast news reports and discussion programmes against Islamophobia and discrimination against Muslims.

According to the report, this contradictory behaviour is a major characteristic of media houses, which simultaneously produce both anti-discrimination and discriminatory content.