Paid news: The new evil in media
'Paid News' issue is gaining momentum. Press council of India, Editors Guild of India and political parties cutting across partylines are advocating for some mechanism to check this menace.
The "Paid News" issue is finally gaining momentum. The Press Council of India, the Editors Guild of India and political parties cutting across party lines are advocating for some mechanism to check this menace. Joshi was deeply perturbed over coverage of the last Lok Sabha polls in the electronic and print media. After the polls, while releasing this writer's book in Hindi 'Khoji Patrakarita Kyon aur Kaise' at Rohtak, he asked the audience not to take the election coverage on the electronic and print media at face value, because the larger part has been bought by the concerned
parties. Describing the newspapers as the weapon of the people and not of owners, Joshi has asked the readers to fight for saving this weapon which is called the fourth pillar of democracy. While urging the election commission to identify such advertisements which found space in the form of news, he told that he, along with some editors, will urge the Press Council of India to withdraw registration of such newspapers which gave space to surrogate news. He demanded that such papers be given licences of printing industry. Joshi, along with eminent journalists Kuldeep Nayyar, B.G.Vergeese and Harish Khare, has taken up the issue with the Press Council .Till his untimely death; he continued his tirade against this evil. His opponents even raised questions over his commitment to journalism, but he did not relent. BJP leaders Lalji Tandon and Sushma Swaraj and Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, all have been victims of this evil while Maharshtra chief minister Ashok Chavan is a beneficiary. Recently Sushma Sawraj has come out with shocking revelations that she was offered Rs. 1 crore package by a newspaper for getting favourable reports during the Lok Sabha election. Lalji Tandon has disclosed that a U.P. based newspaper, which has taken several benefits from their government has asked money for getting coverage. Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, in the last assembly polls before he came to power, was perturbed over the coverage of the rally of other political parties. When he complained to the editor and owner of the paper, he was told that it was all advertisement meaning thereby that advertisement was published under the cover of news. The news described the poorly attended rally as a huge gathering. Hooda was further shocked to hear the reply of the editor, on being asked if they can publish their advertisement stating that this newspaper publishes lies. The editor cut a sorry figure.
I will like to share an interesting incident regarding the coverage of Sirsa Lok Sabha seat in Haryana from where All India youth congress Chief Ashok Tanwar was contesting on a congress ticket. One particular Hindi newspaper was publishing news only in favour of a particular
candidate. When a complaint was made regarding this during a press conference in which local reporter of the said newspaper was also present he was told that they have been directed by their editor and owner to send news only favouring this particular candidate. The shocked politician told the reporter that they had also bought a package from their paper. He told him that they have been assured that the news matter in form of a CD given by us will be printed without any change. The poor reporter of that paper politely requested the politician to ensure that they get latest instructions from their editor. The poor reporter was right, as otherwise the cost of that space will be charged from him treating his news as advertisement. Replying to the debate on the issue in Rajya Sabha, where speaker after speaker including Arun Jaitely has expressed serious concern over the paid news issue, Information and Broadcasting minister Ambika Soni has told that the centre was actively considering a proposal to give more teeth to the Press Council to tackle the menace. The Council should be given adequate powers and representation of people act should be amended for making provisions for including paid news payment in election expenses of the candidate. It is important that the newspaper readers should come out to fight against this practice as little is expected from the political parties who are part of this game.
parties. Describing the newspapers as the weapon of the people and not of owners, Joshi has asked the readers to fight for saving this weapon which is called the fourth pillar of democracy. While urging the election commission to identify such advertisements which found space in the form of news, he told that he, along with some editors, will urge the Press Council of India to withdraw registration of such newspapers which gave space to surrogate news. He demanded that such papers be given licences of printing industry. Joshi, along with eminent journalists Kuldeep Nayyar, B.G.Vergeese and Harish Khare, has taken up the issue with the Press Council .Till his untimely death; he continued his tirade against this evil. His opponents even raised questions over his commitment to journalism, but he did not relent. BJP leaders Lalji Tandon and Sushma Swaraj and Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, all have been victims of this evil while Maharshtra chief minister Ashok Chavan is a beneficiary. Recently Sushma Sawraj has come out with shocking revelations that she was offered Rs. 1 crore package by a newspaper for getting favourable reports during the Lok Sabha election. Lalji Tandon has disclosed that a U.P. based newspaper, which has taken several benefits from their government has asked money for getting coverage. Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, in the last assembly polls before he came to power, was perturbed over the coverage of the rally of other political parties. When he complained to the editor and owner of the paper, he was told that it was all advertisement meaning thereby that advertisement was published under the cover of news. The news described the poorly attended rally as a huge gathering. Hooda was further shocked to hear the reply of the editor, on being asked if they can publish their advertisement stating that this newspaper publishes lies. The editor cut a sorry figure.
I will like to share an interesting incident regarding the coverage of Sirsa Lok Sabha seat in Haryana from where All India youth congress Chief Ashok Tanwar was contesting on a congress ticket. One particular Hindi newspaper was publishing news only in favour of a particular
candidate. When a complaint was made regarding this during a press conference in which local reporter of the said newspaper was also present he was told that they have been directed by their editor and owner to send news only favouring this particular candidate. The shocked politician told the reporter that they had also bought a package from their paper. He told him that they have been assured that the news matter in form of a CD given by us will be printed without any change. The poor reporter of that paper politely requested the politician to ensure that they get latest instructions from their editor. The poor reporter was right, as otherwise the cost of that space will be charged from him treating his news as advertisement. Replying to the debate on the issue in Rajya Sabha, where speaker after speaker including Arun Jaitely has expressed serious concern over the paid news issue, Information and Broadcasting minister Ambika Soni has told that the centre was actively considering a proposal to give more teeth to the Press Council to tackle the menace. The Council should be given adequate powers and representation of people act should be amended for making provisions for including paid news payment in election expenses of the candidate. It is important that the newspaper readers should come out to fight against this practice as little is expected from the political parties who are part of this game.
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.speaking at a seminar in Delhi on role of media in building voters awareness,N,Ram,of Hindu sadi that paid news as a phenomenonwhich came to the fore duriing the 2009 Loksabah polls and also in some asembly polls had given a very bad name to the press.
.At a time when country is facing so many scams leading magazine India Today in its March, 7 issue has choosen the casual sex as topic for its cover story. Is it to divert the attention of readers from scams.
.The election commission has asked the chief electoral officers of Tamilnadu, Assam , kerla and other states where elections have been announced to immediately constitute district- level committees to monitor and investigate paid-news.Quoting the press council of India,s defination of paid news the e.c said that any news or analysis appearing in any media print or electronic for a price in cash or kind as consideration.They should closely monitor the advertisements.
.If the impression that the media is suspectible to money spreads, people will stop believing what they read at the time of elections. Paid news is a dangerous phenomenon, which has to be rightly dealt with, the former Chief Election Commissionor, Navin Chawla said whie delivering a special address on management of election system at the school of management in Pondicherry.
.VC������s appointment at GJU raises eyebrows
Written by PAWAN KUMAR BANSAL
Monday, 26 April 2010 15:15
ROHTAK
The appointment of a politician ML Ranga as the Vice-Chancellor of Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, has evoked sharp reactions from academics who have been demanding the appointment of an academic to the post.
Ranga is a politician who defected from the Indian National Lok Dal to the Congress Party on the eve of last Assembly elections. During the tenure of Bhajan Lal as chief minister, Ranga was appointed the pro-vice-chancellor of Kurukshetra University, reportedly on the recommendation of a woman MLA belonging to the ruling party. He occupied the post of V-C in the same university during the regime of Bansi Lal, courtesy his connections with then Governor of the state.
On the eve of Haryana Vidhan Sabha elections in 2000, Ranga developed close contacts with INLD chief Om Parkash Chautala, who rewarded him with a party ticket. He won the election and was made a Cabinet minister in the government headed by Chautala. When Hooda took reigns of the state in 2005, several complaints were made to the Government about the irregularities committed during the tenure of Ranga as VC. To save his skin, Ranga deserted his mentor Chautala and joined hands with Hooda. He joined the party at one of Hooda's public meeting at Meham in Rohtak district.
Meanwhile, the posts of pro-vice-chancellor created four years back by Hooda are lying vacant as the Government has not been able to find suitable persons for the job.
Hectic lobbying is also going on for the post of Vice-Chancellors of Maharishi Dayananad University, Rohtak and Choudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa. Powerful Punjabi community is pressing the Chief Minister to appoint a person from their community to the post at one of these universities.
.Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooindustan timda while speaking at the function at chandigrh held on april,25 to mak tenth anniversary of Hindustan Times urged the media to help the growing meanance of commercialisation of news and the new found pracice of surrogte news advertising asthese two maladies were bringing a bad name to indian journalism.I had faced the problem of surrogate advertising at the time of loksabha elecions in 2004 he said recounting his experience without naming the newspapers.
.Press Council finds 2 papers guilty of ������paid news'
In what seems to be its first action in a case of paid news, the Press Council of India has found two newspapers, Amar Ujala and Dainik Jagran, guilty of publishing advertisements masquerading as news before the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. The case has been sent to the Election Commission for further action.
These newspapers published a one-sided news item in the form of an advertisement in favour of an opposition candidate of the Rashtriya Parivartan Dal. The complaint was filed by the former MLA Yogender Kumar.
At its March 31 meeting, the Council said the format of the item was such that it would appear as a news report to the layman and the word ������ADVT������ was printed at the lowest end, and it appeared to accompany a small boxed appeal by the candidate. ������There was beyond doubt a possibility of confusing the voters when the elections were just a day away and all campaigning had stopped,������ said the Council in a statement on Thursday. It added that the act was not only unethical by journalistic standards but also violated election laws. The Council's decision, along with all the case papers, is being sent to the Election Commission.
.N.Ram, Editor-in-chief of the HINDU while speaking on Markets, Media and Democracy organised by UNICEF and the Institute of Development Studies in Kolkata on 5th april while regretting the phenomenon of "Paid News' said that the media have gone corrupt to a considerable extent with newspapers being given equity in certain companies to promote products of the latter as news.
T.N.Chaturvedi foremr Governor of Karnatka while speaking on Loksabha channel on the topic Paid news and electoral subversion has aslo regretted that equity is being given free for advertising the products as news. He admitted that although advertisement is needed for running thepaper as it cannot run on the earnings through subsrciption but there must be distinction between news and views and advertisements .he has stated that reporters or editors may have some ideiology but news should be presented as such that it should not be misunderstood
.Good write up.
Money for news is also a financial irregularity should there be no inquiry by the revenue intelligence or even by CBI? Can we make a forum and ask for a thorough inquiry into the matter?
.Paid news is blot on beautiful face of our democracy which must be removed by surgery so that it may not reapperar
.launching nationwide campaign against evil of paid news is more important even then passing women reservation bill
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