All that fuss about paid news.
All that fuss about paid news .
Recently there is uproar about sting operation done by website Cobrapost. They went and interviewed nearly all media houses. Practically everyone agreed to carry out news items as per their choice in exchange for cash.The payment was discussed in form of cheque and as well cash.Many media houses sighted instances in past when similar things were carried out by them.
Push Sharma who carried out this operation wore white dhoti and kurta and called himself Acharya Atal. He said he has Ujjain based organization " Bhagwad Gita Prasar Samiti" and agenda is to spread Hindutwa. All media senior officials did not bother to verify his credentials and background and openely discussed about compensation to be paid to them.This proves that this was "routine situation".
The budget of Rs 8,000 crores was indicated for covering different media houses.One leading media house demanded Rs 1000 crore from the same.
Cobrapost called this project as " Operation 136" . This was done as India's rank is 136th in world for freedom of writing. This means there are 135 nations in this world wherein freedom of writing is more .We call ourselves World's largest democracy.
The media houses also agreed to malign images of opposition leaders and also certain rebel leaders of ruling party.
The media houses interviewed include Times Group, India Today , Dainik Bhadkar , India TV , Sab TV, Amar Ujala, Samagchar Plus , Punjab Kesari , HNN 24x7, Rediff , TV18, Hindustan Times , ABP News , Bharat Samachar , Lokmat , New India Express, Star India etc. All of them agreed for paid news.
I salute 2 West Bengal newspapers who refused to carry paid news.They are " Bartman Patrika" and "Dainik Sambad" . The offer was raised from Rs 1.5 crores to Rs 10 crores but they did not budge. They proved that there are regional papers who have their own principles and are not sold out. Following things have emerged clearly in this operation.
1) Carring Paid news is routine matter and is done quite regularly.
2) There are 'cash' transactions happening regularly and also 'hawala' operations through Angadia. 'Notebandi' has proved to be 'notebadali'and position is same as before.
3)Media houses vying with each other to get blessings of ruling party for Government advertisements.
4) The low coverage of the sting operationin in all types of media shows they are "together".
Normally media does sting on others but this time it has boomranged on them.
Dainik Bhaskar went to court to bring stay on display of their sting operation. However for others damage has been already done and it is becoming difficult to deny what has been said. As a common man we have experienced that every letter written to Editor of newspaper does not get published. If we want to cover any event in our locality you need to "know" someone in press. However those who have hefty budget can get anything printed or broadcast.
While we may say " Swatantra Bharat ka Swatantra Nagarik hoon. I have freedom of speech and freedom in writing " , the actual situation is that pen of Media is in someone else's hand.
Lastly if you see world over Media Barons are in position to control news. The Paid News is reality and it is here to stay.
Datt Udas
datt.udas63@gmail.com
Push Sharma who carried out this operation wore white dhoti and kurta and called himself Acharya Atal. He said he has Ujjain based organization " Bhagwad Gita Prasar Samiti" and agenda is to spread Hindutwa. All media senior officials did not bother to verify his credentials and background and openely discussed about compensation to be paid to them.This proves that this was "routine situation".
The budget of Rs 8,000 crores was indicated for covering different media houses.One leading media house demanded Rs 1000 crore from the same.
Cobrapost called this project as " Operation 136" . This was done as India's rank is 136th in world for freedom of writing. This means there are 135 nations in this world wherein freedom of writing is more .We call ourselves World's largest democracy.
The media houses also agreed to malign images of opposition leaders and also certain rebel leaders of ruling party.
The media houses interviewed include Times Group, India Today , Dainik Bhadkar , India TV , Sab TV, Amar Ujala, Samagchar Plus , Punjab Kesari , HNN 24x7, Rediff , TV18, Hindustan Times , ABP News , Bharat Samachar , Lokmat , New India Express, Star India etc. All of them agreed for paid news.
I salute 2 West Bengal newspapers who refused to carry paid news.They are " Bartman Patrika" and "Dainik Sambad" . The offer was raised from Rs 1.5 crores to Rs 10 crores but they did not budge. They proved that there are regional papers who have their own principles and are not sold out. Following things have emerged clearly in this operation.
1) Carring Paid news is routine matter and is done quite regularly.
2) There are 'cash' transactions happening regularly and also 'hawala' operations through Angadia. 'Notebandi' has proved to be 'notebadali'and position is same as before.
3)Media houses vying with each other to get blessings of ruling party for Government advertisements.
4) The low coverage of the sting operationin in all types of media shows they are "together".
Normally media does sting on others but this time it has boomranged on them.
Dainik Bhaskar went to court to bring stay on display of their sting operation. However for others damage has been already done and it is becoming difficult to deny what has been said. As a common man we have experienced that every letter written to Editor of newspaper does not get published. If we want to cover any event in our locality you need to "know" someone in press. However those who have hefty budget can get anything printed or broadcast.
While we may say " Swatantra Bharat ka Swatantra Nagarik hoon. I have freedom of speech and freedom in writing " , the actual situation is that pen of Media is in someone else's hand.
Lastly if you see world over Media Barons are in position to control news. The Paid News is reality and it is here to stay.
Datt Udas
datt.udas63@gmail.com
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