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ANI editor Smita Prakash recently talked about the Godi media tag in an exclusive interview with journalist Runjhun Sharma.
She called the label "silly" and added that these things does bother her sometimes.
She also recalled that earlier media were labelled as Gandhi media or Maino media (after Sonia Gandhi) but were considered "loyalists".
“MAY BE NOT,” replied ANI editor Smita Prakash when asked whether India has more freedom of speech than the USA or Europe. In an exclusive interview with host and head of RT news Runjhun Sharma on July 9, 2026, Smita Prakash spoke on a range of issues.
From freedom of the press in India to the "Godi media" label, Prakash also discussed ANI's legacy and how the agency has continued to operate under the tenures of different Prime Ministers of India in the latest episode of India, Russia & The World with Runjhun Sharma.
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During the segment, Prakash stated that cracking down on the media is not the way to go. “If the media does everything that is so tailored to suit your algorithm, that same media will not have the freedom to report when the government changes,” said Smita Prakash.
When she was asked whether India has press freedom, Prakash compared the situation with countries in West Asia and East Asia, stating that India has more freedom than those regions. However, she further clarified that freedom of the press in India is not on par with that in the USA or Europe.
“Do we have more freedom than we did 15 years back, 20 years back, or 40 years back? Every government tries to curb the freedom of journalists,” said Smita Prakash, to which Sharma replied, “In their own way.”
The duo then went on to discuss the popular media term "Godi media." "Godi media" is a widely known term that is often attributed to veteran Indian journalist Ravish Kumar. It is used to describe media channels that openly support the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been in power since 2014.
Reacting to whether the "Godi media" label affects or bothers her, Smita Prakash said, “Yes, these things do bother me. I mean, I'm human.” She further described the term as “silly.” Citing examples from earlier governments that ruled the country, she said, “The same people who say 'Godi media' were 'Maino media' at one point in time.”
Prakash further mentioned terms such as “Sonia Maino media,” “Congress media,” and “Gandhi media,” adding that the media of earlier governments were often regarded as “loyalists.” “Whatever they used to say, that too. So they were considered loyalists then. 'Godi' is a silly word,” Prakash continued.
She also shared a joke that someone had made on her podcast at ANI, saying, “Most of us are overweight, so we don't fit into anyone's godi (lap).”
Asian News International (ANI) was founded in 1970 by Smita Prakash's father, veteran journalist Prem Prakash. Smita Prakash referred to ANI's history, stating that the agency has been operating since the tenure of Jawaharlal Nehru as the Prime Minister of India.
Describing Nehru as “media-friendly” and Indira Gandhi as selectively friendly towards the media, she named several leaders whom she believed were either friendly towards the media or otherwise. Prakash also praised former prime minister of India Manmohan Singh for holding press conferences despite conducting very few one-on-one interviews.
Speaking about the present, she said, “Mr Modi does not do press conferences. Every Prime Minister has their own way of doing it. I think PMs know that anything they say will be used in one way or another by journalists.”
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(Edited by Harsh Pandey)
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