Titillation and Transgression: The (Un)Ethical Quagmire of Indian Digital News Media

Authors

  • Shiv Shankar Das Associate Professor, Birla School of Communication, Birla Global University, Bhubaneswar
  • Sruthi Rajan Associate Professor, Birla School of Communication, Birla Global University, Bhubaneswar
  • Mehul Agarwal Associate Professor, Birla School of Communication, Birla Global University, Bhubaneswar

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58966/JCM2026525

Keywords:

Ethics, Entertainment journalism, Indian media, Female celebrities, Digital media, Bodies

Abstract

The research carefully examines how Indian digital news media construct images of female celebrities and the effect this has on how young people see them. A close reading of headlines from four widely used digital sites was combined with a ‘think-aloud’ method, asking young adults to express what they were thinking as they read news articles to capture their immediate reactions. The results show that news is often made to be shocking, and women are portrayed in a very sexist manner. Using feminist theory, the study argues that journalists writing about entertainment should be more considerate and responsible, and it reveals the hidden power dynamics at work the way media operates.

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Published

2026-06-23

How to Cite

Das, S. S., Rajan, S., & Agarwal, M. (2026). Titillation and Transgression: The (Un)Ethical Quagmire of Indian Digital News Media. Journal of Communication and Management, 5(02), 41–51. https://doi.org/10.58966/JCM2026525

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 02 (2026): Journal of Communication and Management

Section

Research Article