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Newslaundry
Newslaundry
National
NL Team

TV Newsance 322 | How TV ‘analysed’ Umar Nabi: Beard, English, chair = terror?

Indian TV news has turned the Umar Nabi terror case into a circus — with anchors analysing his beard, body language, English, hairstyle and even how he swivels in a chair. This episode explains how the Indian media uses pseudoscience and profiling to shape public perception.

In this video, we break down:

1. Umar Nabi Video & Media Pseudoscience

How TV channels used “body language analysis” and WhatsApp psychology to make wild claims — from calling him a cocaine addict to suggesting he didn’t “look like” a terrorist. So what do terrorists look like?

2. Communal Messaging & Stereotyping

How sensationalist coverage fuels profiling of Muslims and spreads prejudice and misinformation in the name of counter-terror analysis.

 3. Ajit Doval Clip Controversy

A 2014 video went viral, was labelled “deepfake,” and then fact-checked — here’s what actually happened.

4. Bihar Election Reactions

NDA’s win, TV news victory laps, and the grand old party, the Indian National Congress’s bizarre conspiracy theories about “1 lakh and 1.22 lakh votes.”

From communal dog-whistles to fake narratives, this episode shows how misreporting affects public opinion and weakens trust in journalism.

Watch the full episode and let us know your thoughts below!

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Newslaundry is a reader-supported, ad-free, independent news outlet based out of New Delhi. Support their journalism, here.

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