Knock Knock: Was Indian Media’s Coverage Of The Nepal Earthquake Insensitive?

The Indian media's coverage of the Nepal earthquake was slammed on social media, with many Nepalese criticisng the "insensitive and one-sided" reporting. BOOM asks people whether this charge was justified.

The devastating earthquake on April 25, 2015 in Nepal has claimed more than 7,500 lives and the number grows each day. Following the rescue teams from India, were the Indian news media who arrived in Kathmandu and then spread out across the countryside to report from ground zero.

There was blanket coverage from the disaster zone covering every aspect of the earthquake. Television journalists were credited with letting the world know the impact of the widespread disaster and helped galvanise international help but the focus on the Indian government’s relief efforts and the tendency to sensationalise resulted in a backlash from Nepalese people. So much so, that #GoHomeIndianMedia started trending on Twitter.

Indian earthquake relief is one thing, Indian (tv) media coverage of it quite something else. Cartoon by @mirsuhail pic.twitter.com/YWZTwvZJa4

— Kanak Mani Dixit (@KanakManiDixit) May 1, 2015

Dear @narendramodi Our Dharahara have been fallen not our sovereignty! Sincerely Nepalese #GoHomeIndianMedia — गरिमा (@iGarima1) May 3, 2015

An indian news reporter to a mother who's learnt her only son has been buried under their house. Q. How do you feel? #GoHomeIndianMedia

— Prasanna KC (@KC_Prasanna) May 3, 2015

Is #GoHomeIndianMedia really trending? Can we respond with #NoPleaseYouKeepThem or #OkFineWhereElseCanWeSendThem — Aditi Mittal (@awryaditi) May 3, 2015

BOOM asked the Indian public if the Indian media deserved the brickbats it was getting.