Rajendran states that journalists in Chennai always have the cloud of defamation looming over them and one gets conditioned to it. She, however, asserts that things are changing. “Within their scope, I think many have done what they can to expose the government. Some of the major publications in Chennai have been quite critical of the government and have written about the gaping holes in rescue and relief work. Could they have been more critical? Should they have been scathing in their criticism? Yes, surely. When one compares the flood coverage to the criticism that the DMK got during the 2G scam, it is surely mild. But it’s not like the media has completely ignored it and written stories praising government work.”