A coalition of more than 35 civil rights organizations has penned a letter to media giant Thomson Reuters, urging the termination of all partnerships and investments with Asian News Agency (ANI), an Indian-based news provider. ANI has faced allegations of relying on false sources, spreading fabricated news, and exhibiting a pattern of Islamophobic reporting aimed at appeasing the Indian government.
The joint statement issued by these civil rights groups sheds light on ANI’s biased reporting over recent years, revealing their practice of inventing sources and using fictitious personas to craft news stories. The groups highlight ANI’s close association with governmental structures and the ruling party in India.
The report by Brussels-based research entity EU Disinfo Lab has exposed ANI’s use of non-existent sources and think tanks. The report notes that “fake personae,” posing as individuals such as James Bond fans and basketball players, have been cited as geopolitical experts in ANI’s coverage.
EU DisInfo Lab’s findings have suggested connections between ANI and groups like IFFRAS, POREG, and the Srivastava group, which is aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. ANI often relies on these sources to portray international support for India’s foreign policy objectives.
Citing reputable Indian news source The Caravan, the letter underscores ANI’s apparent collaboration with Indian government ministries and its role in creating video content for international news agencies. These videos, developed on behalf of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, aim to enhance India’s global image. Titles such as “India’s growing foreign engagements help strengthen bilateral ties” have been used in these propagandistic videos.
ANI’s evident anti-Muslim bias has raised concerns about its impact on media ecosystems both in India and globally. The coalition argues that ANI’s ties to the Indian government, deliberate misinformation tactics, and reliance on falsified sources contribute to a climate of hostility towards Muslims. They call on Reuters to divest its interests in ANI in order to uphold its principles of independence, integrity, and freedom from bias. The coalition emphasizes that unchecked anti-Muslim misinformation campaigns in Indian mass media have contributed to incidents of hate, bigotry, and violence against Muslims.
