The opposition group said its members would not attend programs hosted by 14 anchors, who also include some of India’s most popular TV news personalities.
Harsh and combative debate programs are a staple of Indian cable news, with sometimes a dozen or more panelists battling onscreen for attention.
Opposition parties have long accused the networks of failing to adhere to basic standards of impartiality and unfairly portraying their activities in a negative light.
One of those named in the boycott, broadcaster Aaj Tak’s Sudhir Chaudhary, ridiculed the alliance for attacking hosts who “refused to lick their shoes”.
But he also warned that opposition lawmakers’ refusal to face serious questions put news outlets in a “dangerous position.”
And the News Broadcasters and Digital Association (NBDA), the industry body representing media outlets, said the boycott was “against the ethos of democracy”.
“This is a symbol of intolerance and threatens freedom of the press,” the group said in a statement.