State nationalism or popular nationalism? Analysing media coverage of TikTok ban on mainstream Indian TV news channels

Abstract It has been argued that BJP - the current ruling party of India - comprises unapologetic hyper nationalists known as Hindu nationalists. It has also been claimed that the BJP government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a tight grip over the mainstream TV media and non-conformists are finding it increasingly challenging to express their opinion in the world’s largest democracy. If such concerns are true, then support for the nationalist politics of the ruling dispensation must reflect in the mainstream media narratives. To explore, this study conducted a thematic discourse analysis on the media coverage of the TikTok ban in India post Indo-China border conflict. Results revealed a prevalence of media support for state nationalism as interests of the state were conflated with public interest – in contrast with the normative assumptions of objective journalism. However, the study did not find any evidence of popular nationalism on this occasion.