NATIONAL

Why Mainstream TV Is Silent on Sonam Wangchuk’s Hunger Strike

Sonam Wangchuk’s 18‑day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar has drawn scant coverage from India’s biggest broadcasters, even as his health deteriorates and a public‑interest litigation seeks urgent relief. The blackout stems from advertising dependence, regulatory caution and a bias against long‑term, youth‑driven protests.

By Open Vaartha Desk · 2026-07-15

TL;DR

Mainstream Indian TV ignores Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike because advertising, regulation and a bias against long‑term, youth‑driven protests make silence a safer business choice.

Key points

Sonam Wangchuk is on the 18th day of an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, having lost about 9 kg.
The protest, backed by the Cockroach Janta Party, demands the resignation of the Union Education Minister over NEET paper‑leak allegations.
A public‑interest litigation in the Delhi High Court seeks emergency medical intervention and a judicial probe.
Major broadcasters receive a large share of revenue from government advertisements, discouraging coverage of anti‑government protests.
Independent digital outlets and social media have become the primary sources reporting on the strike.

On the 18th day of his indefinite hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk appears visibly frail, having shed almost nine kilograms. The fast, staged alongside the youth‑run Cockroach Janta Party, is aimed at forcing the Union Education Minister’s resignation over alleged examination irregularities and the NEET paper‑leak scandal. A public‑interest litigation filed in the Delhi High Court now seeks emergency medical relief and a judicial directive to end the protest.Yet prime‑time news bulletins and the front pages of major dailies give the episode scant airtime. Independent digital portals, social‑media updates and a handful of international wires track Wangchuk’s dropping blood pressure, while mainstream anchors fill slots with political talk shows, celebrity gossip and cross‑border tensions. This disparity is not a lapse in editorial judgment but a calculated omission rooted in the business model of India’s biggest broadcasters.The first layer of that calculus is geographic. Wangchuk’s earlier battles unfolded in Ladakh, a sparsely populated Himalayan region that offers little advertising revenue or Television Rating Points for networks headquartered in Noida and Mumbai. Even after moving the protest to the nation’s capital, the corporate mindset still labels long‑term, systemic issues—environmental protection or education reform—as ‘boring’ compared with sensational, event‑driven stories that drive viewership.Financial dependence on state‑sponsored advertisements deepens the silence. A sizable share of broadcast income comes from government ad slots and public‑sector campaigns; broadcasting a prolonged hunger strike that accuses the centre of cruelty threatens to jeopardise that cash flow. Moreover, broadcast licences are granted by the same regulatory bodies the protest challenges, making networks wary of provoking audits, licence revocations or punitive tax measures.The protest’s format also unsettles executives. The Cockroach Janta Party, named after a slur aimed at fake‑degree holders, blends political satire with a decentralized, youth‑led mobilisation. Traditional media prefers binary contests that fit neatly into studio debates. Amplifying a movement that could inspire millions of disaffected students is seen as a contagion risk, prompting editors to sideline the story rather than risk legitimising an ‘infectious’ form of dissent.Digital platforms have filled the vacuum. Live updates from Wangchuk’s camp, court filings and statements from regional leaders circulate on Twitter, YouTube and independent news sites, bypassing the gatekeepers of television. The silence therefore underscores a broader shift: as advertising dollars and regulatory pressures tether mainstream broadcasters to the status quo, audiences increasingly turn to online channels for coverage of issues that challenge power structures.