Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Code Context


        trigger_error($message, E_USER_DEPRECATED);

    }
$message = 'The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php.'
$stackFrame = (int) 1
$trace = [
	(int) 0 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/ServerRequest.php',
		'line' => (int) 2421,
		'function' => 'deprecationWarning',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => 'The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead.'
		]
	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php',
		'line' => (int) 150,
		'function' => 'offsetGet',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\ServerRequest',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => 'catslug'
		]
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Controller/Controller.php',
		'line' => (int) 610,
		'function' => 'index',
		'class' => 'App\Controller\ArtileDetailController',
		'object' => object(App\Controller\ArtileDetailController) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => []
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php',
		'line' => (int) 120,
		'function' => 'invokeAction',
		'class' => 'Cake\Controller\Controller',
		'object' => object(App\Controller\ArtileDetailController) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => []
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php',
		'line' => (int) 94,
		'function' => '_invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(App\Controller\ArtileDetailController) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/BaseApplication.php',
		'line' => (int) 235,
		'function' => 'dispatch',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 65,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\BaseApplication',
		'object' => object(App\Application) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Routing/Middleware/RoutingMiddleware.php',
		'line' => (int) 162,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 65,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware',
		'object' => object(Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Routing/Middleware/AssetMiddleware.php',
		'line' => (int) 97,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 65,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware',
		'object' => object(Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php',
		'line' => (int) 96,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 65,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware',
		'object' => object(Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 51,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Server.php',
		'line' => (int) 98,
		'function' => 'run',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\MiddlewareQueue) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/webroot/index.php',
		'line' => (int) 39,
		'function' => 'run',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Server',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Server) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => []
	]
]
$frame = [
	'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php',
	'line' => (int) 150,
	'function' => 'offsetGet',
	'class' => 'Cake\Http\ServerRequest',
	'object' => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {
		trustProxy => false
		[protected] params => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] data => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] query => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] cookies => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] _environment => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] url => 'latest-news-updates/ending-paid-news-its-time-to-act-by-s-viswanathan-3632.html'
		[protected] base => ''
		[protected] webroot => '/'
		[protected] here => '/latest-news-updates/ending-paid-news-its-time-to-act-by-s-viswanathan-3632.html'
		[protected] trustedProxies => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] _input => null
		[protected] _detectors => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] _detectorCache => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] stream => object(Zend\Diactoros\PhpInputStream) {}
		[protected] uri => object(Zend\Diactoros\Uri) {}
		[protected] session => object(Cake\Http\Session) {}
		[protected] attributes => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] emulatedAttributes => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] uploadedFiles => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] protocol => null
		[protected] requestTarget => null
		[private] deprecatedProperties => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
	},
	'type' => '->',
	'args' => [
		(int) 0 => 'catslug'
	]
]
deprecationWarning - CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311
Cake\Http\ServerRequest::offsetGet() - CORE/src/Http/ServerRequest.php, line 2421
App\Controller\ArtileDetailController::index() - APP/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line 150
Cake\Controller\Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 610
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 120
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 94
Cake\Http\BaseApplication::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/BaseApplication.php, line 235
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/RoutingMiddleware.php, line 162
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/AssetMiddleware.php, line 97
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php, line 96
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Http\Runner::run() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 51
Cake\Http\Server::run() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 98

Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Code Context


        trigger_error($message, E_USER_DEPRECATED);

    }
$message = 'The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php.'
$stackFrame = (int) 1
$trace = [
	(int) 0 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/ServerRequest.php',
		'line' => (int) 2421,
		'function' => 'deprecationWarning',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => 'The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead.'
		]
	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php',
		'line' => (int) 151,
		'function' => 'offsetGet',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\ServerRequest',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => 'artileslug'
		]
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Controller/Controller.php',
		'line' => (int) 610,
		'function' => 'index',
		'class' => 'App\Controller\ArtileDetailController',
		'object' => object(App\Controller\ArtileDetailController) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => []
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php',
		'line' => (int) 120,
		'function' => 'invokeAction',
		'class' => 'Cake\Controller\Controller',
		'object' => object(App\Controller\ArtileDetailController) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => []
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php',
		'line' => (int) 94,
		'function' => '_invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(App\Controller\ArtileDetailController) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/BaseApplication.php',
		'line' => (int) 235,
		'function' => 'dispatch',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 65,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\BaseApplication',
		'object' => object(App\Application) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Routing/Middleware/RoutingMiddleware.php',
		'line' => (int) 162,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 65,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware',
		'object' => object(Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Routing/Middleware/AssetMiddleware.php',
		'line' => (int) 97,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 65,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware',
		'object' => object(Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php',
		'line' => (int) 96,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 65,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware',
		'object' => object(Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Runner.php',
		'line' => (int) 51,
		'function' => '__invoke',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Http/Server.php',
		'line' => (int) 98,
		'function' => 'run',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Runner',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Runner) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => [
			(int) 0 => object(Cake\Http\MiddlewareQueue) {},
			(int) 1 => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {},
			(int) 2 => object(Cake\Http\Response) {}
		]
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/webroot/index.php',
		'line' => (int) 39,
		'function' => 'run',
		'class' => 'Cake\Http\Server',
		'object' => object(Cake\Http\Server) {},
		'type' => '->',
		'args' => []
	]
]
$frame = [
	'file' => '/home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php',
	'line' => (int) 151,
	'function' => 'offsetGet',
	'class' => 'Cake\Http\ServerRequest',
	'object' => object(Cake\Http\ServerRequest) {
		trustProxy => false
		[protected] params => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] data => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] query => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] cookies => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] _environment => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] url => 'latest-news-updates/ending-paid-news-its-time-to-act-by-s-viswanathan-3632.html'
		[protected] base => ''
		[protected] webroot => '/'
		[protected] here => '/latest-news-updates/ending-paid-news-its-time-to-act-by-s-viswanathan-3632.html'
		[protected] trustedProxies => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] _input => null
		[protected] _detectors => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] _detectorCache => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] stream => object(Zend\Diactoros\PhpInputStream) {}
		[protected] uri => object(Zend\Diactoros\Uri) {}
		[protected] session => object(Cake\Http\Session) {}
		[protected] attributes => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] emulatedAttributes => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
		[protected] uploadedFiles => [[maximum depth reached]]
		[protected] protocol => null
		[protected] requestTarget => null
		[private] deprecatedProperties => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
	},
	'type' => '->',
	'args' => [
		(int) 0 => 'artileslug'
	]
]
deprecationWarning - CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311
Cake\Http\ServerRequest::offsetGet() - CORE/src/Http/ServerRequest.php, line 2421
App\Controller\ArtileDetailController::index() - APP/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line 151
Cake\Controller\Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 610
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 120
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 94
Cake\Http\BaseApplication::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/BaseApplication.php, line 235
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/RoutingMiddleware.php, line 162
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/AssetMiddleware.php, line 97
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php, line 96
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Http\Runner::run() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 51
Cake\Http\Server::run() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 98

Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Code Context
            if (Configure::read('debug')) {

                trigger_error($message, E_USER_WARNING);

            } else {
$response = object(Cake\Http\Response) {

	'status' => (int) 200,
	'contentType' => 'text/html',
	'headers' => [
		'Content-Type' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
	],
	'file' => null,
	'fileRange' => [],
	'cookies' => object(Cake\Http\Cookie\CookieCollection) {},
	'cacheDirectives' => [],
	'body' => '<!DOCTYPE html>
<!--[if lt IE 7 ]>
<html class="ie ie6" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 7 ]>
<html class="ie ie7" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 8 ]>
<html class="ie ie8" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if (gte IE 9)|!(IE)]><!-->
<html lang='en'>
<!--<![endif]-->
<head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
    
    <title>
        LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Ending ‘paid news’: it’s time to act by S Viswanathan    </title>
    <meta name="description" content="



It's been nearly a year since the &lsquo;paid news' syndrome &mdash; an appalling industry-wide violation of media ethics and a media-related electoral malpractice &mdash; was brought to people's attention by a section of the media. The issue still remains in..."/>
    <meta name="keywords" content="media"/>
    <meta name="news_keywords" content="media">
   
    <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="ROR" href="/ror.xml"/>
    <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS 2.0" href="/feeds/"/>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/bootstrap.min.css?1697864993"/>    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/style.css?v=1.1.2"/>    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/style-inner.css?1577045210"/>    <link rel="stylesheet" id="Oswald-css"
          href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Oswald%3Aregular%2C700&amp;ver=3.8.1" type="text/css"
          media="all">
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/jquery.modal.min.css?1578285302"/>    <script src="/js/jquery-1.10.2.js?1575549704"></script>    <script src="/js/jquery-migrate.min.js?1575549704"></script>    <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico" title="Favicon">
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/jquery-ui.css?1580720609"/>    <script src="/js/jquery-ui.js?1575549704"></script>    <link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/custom.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/jquery.modal.min.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/jquery-ui.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/li-scroller.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<!-- <link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/style.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous"> -->
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/style-inner.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">

<link rel='dns-prefetch' href="//im4change.org/css/custom.css" crossorigin >

<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/bootstrap.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.li-scroller.1.0.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.modal.min.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.ui.totop.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-1.10.2.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-migrate.min.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-ui.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/setting.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/tie-scripts.js">
    <!--[if IE]>
    <script type="text/javascript">jQuery(document).ready(function () {
        jQuery(".menu-item").has("ul").children("a").attr("aria-haspopup", "true");
    });</script>
    <![endif]-->
    <!--[if lt IE 9]>
    <script src="/js/html5.js"></script>
    <script src="/js/selectivizr-min.js"></script>
    <![endif]-->
    <!--[if IE 8]>
    <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="all" href="/css/ie8.css"/>
    <![endif]-->
    <meta property="og:title" content="LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Ending ‘paid news’: it’s time to act by S Viswanathan" />
     <meta property="og:url" content="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/ending-paid-news-its-time-to-act-by-s-viswanathan-3632.html" />
     <meta property="og:type" content="article" />
     <meta property="og:description" content="



It's been nearly a year since the &lsquo;paid news' syndrome &mdash; an appalling industry-wide violation of media ethics and a media-related electoral malpractice &mdash; was brought to people's attention by a section of the media. The issue still remains in..." />
     <meta property="og:image" content="" />
      <meta property="fb:app_id" content="0" />
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, user-scalable=no">

       <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="144x144" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple1.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="120x120" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple2.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="72x72" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple3.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple4.png">

    <style>
    .gsc-results-wrapper-overlay{
        top: 38% !important;
        height: 50% !important;
    }
    .gsc-search-button-v2{
        border-color: #035588 !important;
        background-color: #035588 !important;
    }

   .gsib_a{
        height: 30px !important;
          padding: 2px 8px 1px 6px !important;
    }

   
    .gsc-search-button-v2{
        height: 41px !important;
    }
    input.gsc-input{
        background: none !important;
    }
    @media only screen and (max-width: 600px) {
        .gsc-results-wrapper-overlay{
            top: 11% !important;
            width: 87% !important;
            left: 9% !important;
            height: 43% !important;
        }

        .gsc-search-button-v2{
            padding: 10px 10px !important;
        
        }
        .gsc-input-box{
            height: 28px !important;
        }
       /* .gsib_a {
            padding: 0px 9px 4px 9px !important;
        }*/
    }
    @media only screen and (min-width: 1200px) and (max-width: 1920px) {
        table.gsc-search-box{
            width: 15% !important;
            float: right !important;
            margin-top: -118px !important;
        }

        .gsc-search-button-v2 {
            
            padding: 6px !important;
           
        }
    }


</style>

    <script>
        $(function () {
            $("#accordion").accordion({
                event: "click hoverintent"
            });
        });

        /*
         * hoverIntent | Copyright 2011 Brian Cherne
         * http://cherne.net/brian/resources/jquery.hoverIntent.html
         * modified by the jQuery UI team
         */
        $.event.special.hoverintent = {
            setup: function () {
                $(this).bind("mouseover", jQuery.event.special.hoverintent.handler);
            },
            teardown: function () {
                $(this).unbind("mouseover", jQuery.event.special.hoverintent.handler);
            },
            handler: function (event) {
                var currentX, currentY, timeout,
                    args = arguments,
                    target = $(event.target),
                    previousX = event.pageX,
                    previousY = event.pageY;

                function track(event) {
                    currentX = event.pageX;
                    currentY = event.pageY;
                }
                ;

                function clear() {
                    target
                        .unbind("mousemove", track)
                        .unbind("mouseout", clear);
                    clearTimeout(timeout);
                }

                function handler() {
                    var prop,
                        orig = event;
                    if ((Math.abs(previousX - currentX) +
                        Math.abs(previousY - currentY)) < 7) {
                        clear();
                        event = $.Event("hoverintent");
                        for (prop in orig) {
                            if (!(prop in event)) {
                                event[prop] = orig[prop];
                            }
                        }
                        // Prevent accessing the original event since the new event
                        // is fired asynchronously and the old event is no longer
                        // usable (#6028)
                        delete event.originalEvent;
                        target.trigger(event);
                    } else {
                        previousX = currentX;
                        previousY = currentY;
                        timeout = setTimeout(handler, 100);
                    }
                }

                timeout = setTimeout(handler, 100);
                target.bind({
                    mousemove: track,
                    mouseout: clear
                });
            }
        };
    </script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        var _gaq = _gaq || [];
        _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-472075-3']);
        _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

        (function () {
            var ga = document.createElement('script');
            ga.type = 'text/javascript';
            ga.async = true;
            ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
            var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
            s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
        })();
    </script>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/custom.css?v=1.16"/>    <script src="/js/jquery.ui.totop.js?1575549704"></script>    <script src="/js/setting.js?1575549704"></script>    <link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.json">
    <meta name="theme-color" content="#616163" />
    <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes">
    <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-status-bar-style" content="black">
    <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-title" content="im4change">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/icons/logo-192x192.png">
</head>
<body id="top" class="home inner blog">
<div class="background-cover"></div>
<div class="wrapper animated">
    <header id="theme-header" class="header_inner" style="position: relative;">
        <div class="logo inner_logo" style="left:20px !important">
                <a title="Home" href="https://im4change.in/">
                    <img src="https://im4change.in/images/logo2.jpg?1582080632" class="logo_image" alt="im4change"/>                </a>
        </div>
        <div class="langhindi" style="color: #000;display:none;"
             href="https://im4change.in/">
            <a class="more-link" href="https://im4change.in/">Home</a>
                        <a href="https://im4change.in/hindi/" class="langbutton ">हिन्दी</a>
                    </div>
        <nav class="fade-in animated2" id="main-nav">
            <div class="container">
                <div class="main-menu">
    <ul class="menu" id="menu-main">
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children"
            style="left: -40px;"><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/">Home</a>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item mega-menu menu-item-type-taxonomy mega-menu menu-item-object-category mega-menu menu-item-has-children parent-list"
            style=" margin-left: -40px;"><a href="#">KNOWLEDGE GATEWAY <span class="sub-indicator"></span>
            </a>
            <div class="mega-menu-block background_menu" style="padding-top:25px;">
                <div class="container">
                    <div class="mega-menu-content">
                                                                   <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Farm Crisis</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/farmers039-suicides-14.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Farm Suicides                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/unemployment-30.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Unemployment                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/rural-distress-70.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Rural distress                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/migration-34.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Migration                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/key-facts-72.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Key Facts                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/debt-trap-15.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Debt Trap                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Empowerment</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/union-budget-73.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Union Budget And Other Economic Policies                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/forest-and-tribal-rights-61.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Forest and Tribal Rights                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-education-60.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Education                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-food-59.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Food                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/displacement-3279.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Displacement                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-work-mg-nrega-39.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Work (MG-NREGA)                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/gender-3280.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">GENDER                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-information-58.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Information                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/social-audit-48.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Social Audit                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Hunger / HDI</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/poverty-and-inequality-20499.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Poverty and inequality                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/malnutrition-41.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Malnutrition                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/public-health-51.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Public Health                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/education-50.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Education                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/hunger-overview-40.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Hunger Overview                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/hdi-overview-45.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">HDI Overview                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/pds-ration-food-security-42.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">PDS/ Ration/ Food Security                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/sdgs-113.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">SDGs                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/mid-day-meal-scheme-mdms-53.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS)                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Environment</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/time-bomb-ticking-52.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Time Bomb Ticking                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/water-and-sanitation-55.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Water and Sanitation                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/impact-on-agriculture-54.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Impact on Agriculture                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Law & Justice</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/social-justice-20500.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Social Justice                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/access-to-justice-47.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Access to Justice                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/human-rights-56.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Human Rights                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/corruption-35.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Corruption                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/general-insecurity-46.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">General Insecurity                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/disaster-relief-49.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Disaster &amp; Relief                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        
                    </div>
                </div>
            </div>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page "><a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/nceus_reports.php">NCEUS reports</a>
            
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children parent-list ">
            <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html">About Us <span
                    class="sub-indicator"></span></a>
            <ul class="sub-menu aboutmenu">
                <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page"><a
                        target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/objectives-8.html">Objectives</a>
                </li>
                <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page"><a
                         target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/contactus.php">Contact
                        Us</a></li>
                <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page"><a
                         target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html">About
                        Us</a></li>
            </ul>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children ">
            <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/fellowships.php" title="Fellowships">Fellowships</a>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children  "><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/media-workshops.php">Workshops</a>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children  "><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/research.php">Research</a></li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children   "><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/links-64">Partners</a></li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children"
            id="menu-item-539"><a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hindi/"
                                  class="langbutton langlinkfont17">हिन्दी</a></li>
    </ul>
</div>            </div>


                        <!--  <div style="float: right;">
                            <script async src="https://cse.google.com/cse.js?cx=18b4f2e0f11bed3dd"></script>
                            <div class="gcse-search"></div>
                        </div> -->
                       
            <div class="search-block" style=" margin-left: 8px; margin-right: 7px;">
                <form method="get" id="searchform" name="searchform"
                      action="https://im4change.in/search"
                      onsubmit="return searchvalidate();">
                    <button class="search-button" type="submit" value="Search"></button>
                    <input type="text" id="s" name="qryStr" value=""
                           onfocus="if (this.value == 'Search...') {this.value = '';}"
                           onblur="if (this.value == '') {this.value = 'Search...';}">
                </form>
            </div>
        </nav>
    </header>
    <div class="container">
        <div id="main-content" class=" main1 container fade-in animated3 sidebar-narrow-left">
            <div class="content-wrap">
                <div class="content" style="width: 900px;min-height: 500px;">
                    <section class="cat-box recent-box innerCatRecent">
    <h1 class="cat-box-title">Ending ‘paid news’: it’s time to act by S Viswanathan</h1>
    <a href="JavaScript:void(0);" onclick="return shareArticle(3543);">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/email.png?1582080630" border="0" width="24" align="right" alt="Share this article"/>    </a>

    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/ending-paid-news-its-time-to-act-by-s-viswanathan-3632/print"
       rel="nofollow">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/icon-print.png?1582080630" border="0" width="24" align="right" alt="Share this article"/>
    </a>
</section>
<section class="recent-box innerCatRecent">
    <small class="pb-1"><span class="dateIcn">
    	<img src="https://im4change.in/images/published.svg?1582080666" alt="published"/> 
		 Published on</span><span class="text-date"> Oct 5, 2010</span>
        &nbsp; <span
                class="dateIcn">
		 	<img src="https://im4change.in/images/modified.svg?1582080666" alt="modified"/>    	 Modified on </span><span class="text-date"> Oct 5, 2010</span>
    </small>
</section>
<div class="clear"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 10px;">
    <div class="innerLineHeight">
        <div class="middleContent innerInput latest-news-updates">
            <table>
                <tr>
                    <td>
                                                <div>
                            <font ><br /></font><div align="justify"><br /><font >It's been nearly a year since the &lsquo;paid news' syndrome &mdash; an appalling industry-wide violation of media ethics and a media-related electoral malpractice &mdash; was brought to people's attention by a section of the media. The issue still remains in the public domain, drawing critical comment and protest every now and then. The large-scale practice of paid news, particularly during the run-up to elections, has the potential of misleading the electorate in judging the relative merits and demerits of the contestants and, as a consequence, influencing the verdict by corrupt and underhand means.</font><br /><br /><font >The report of a sub-committee formed by the Press Council of India (PCI), which enquired into the scandal in some depth, is awaiting clearance. PCI Chairman G.N. Ray, a retired Supreme Court Judge, hints at some bottlenecks in legislating on the subject. He attributes the emergence of paid news to the corporatisation and monopolisation of the media. With Assembly elections fast approaching in several States, the need for no-nonsense action on the report in order to ensure free and fair elections is urgently felt.</font><br /><br /><font >Justice Ray has offered no clue as to when the report will be made public. He has, however, denied the charge that PCI has suppressed the findings of the sub-committee. He has claimed that the sub-committee's report is not that of the PCI and that the decision not to incorporate the full report in the final recommendations (for &lsquo;want of clinching evidence') was made by the drafting committee's majority. However a member of the PCI, K. Kesava Rao, who is also a member of the Congress Working Committee, has said that though the Supreme Court, Parliament, jurists, writers, and eminent persons have come out in support of action against paid news, &ldquo;we are yet to come to a compromise on how to handle it.&rdquo;</font><br /><font ></font></div><div align="justify">&nbsp;</div><div align="justify"><em><font >A paradigm shift</font><br /></em><br /><font >In a hard-hitting speech at a recent Coimbatore seminar, Justice Ray accused the media of losing focus during the last few decades. In fact, he saw a paradigm shift in the functioning of the media at the cost of values that it had been following all along. Describing the media as a valiant partner in democracy that ought to guide civil society, political parties, and the state on the path of good and responsible governance, the PCI chief has registered angst over the media sidelining this mission, with professional commitment undermined by hyper-commercialism. The PCI chairman also cited recent concerns expressed by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) over the &lsquo;private treaties' entered into by some media houses with corporate bodies. In consequence, the Press Council had issued guidelines for the media on the subject.</font><br /><br /><font >The private treaties system has been characterised as a (business arena) counterpart of, and a precursor to, the paid news phenomenon (in the political sphere), even if the same actors might not be involved in the two cases. In a letter to the PCI Chairman, SEBI stated that private treaties might lead to commercialisation of news reports since they would be based on the subscription and advertising agreement entered into between the media group and the company. Any biased or imbalanced reporting may lead to inaccurate perceptions of the companies, which are the beneficiaries of such private treaties. Media houses entered into private treaties with companies that were listed or were coming out with public offers &ldquo;for a stake in the company and in return providing media coverage through advertisements, news reports, editorials, etc.&rdquo; (&ldquo;Private Treaties harm fair, unbiased news: SEBI, report in The Hindu, June 19, 2010.) SEBI rightly intervened to protect the interests of other stakeholders, companies and investors in this exercise, by ensuring that the corporate bodies as well as the media groups that have deals with them to be transparent in their operations by declaring their relevant, mutual financial commitments at their websites.</font><br /><font ></font></div><div align="justify">&nbsp;</div><div align="justify"><em><font >A noteworthy difference</font><br /></em><br /><font >One significant difference of course is that neither SEBI nor the PCI has demanded a ban on the private treaty system while virtually everyone &mdash; from the President of India and the Vice President to political leaders across the spectrum and social activists &mdash; has publicly condemned the paid news racket and demanded an end to it. The Editors Guild of India has recorded its commitment to keep the media as much as the electoral system corruption-free. It has even promised to make the war on paid news its &lsquo;one point' programme in the coming year. The PCI Chairman and working journalists associations and federations have all extended their support to efforts to end the menace. Several newspapers and their readers have also taken the right stand on the issue.</font><br /><br /><font >But paradoxically, no tough and effective measures have been proposed, let alone set in motion, by the Press Council or the Election Commission of India to stamp out the paid news racket.</font><br /><br /><font >To be fair to the ECI, it has expressed its opposition to the reprehensible practice in no uncertain terms. It has, not surprisingly, rejected the PCI proposal to depute journalists/senior citizens as observers during elections. The constitutionally sanctioned Commission did not agree with the PCI's contention that its recommendations on paid news were binding on the Commission. The reason was that the Election Commission would have to work within the constitutional provisions, the relevant Acts, and electoral laws. Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi explained, in a letter to Justice Ray, that while the EC &ldquo;is doing its best in the matter and assures further cooperation, you would appreciate that the Council has to facilitate more of self-regulation by media and also develop and share with the EC a more exact prescription to adjudge paid news.&rdquo; The Commission, however, said that it would take &ldquo;due cognisance of the recommendations of the PCI in alleged incidents of paid news.&rdquo;</font><br /><font ></font></div><div align="justify">&nbsp;</div><div align="justify"><em><font >Break the nexus</font><br /></em><br /><font >If in spite of huge support across society and across the polity nothing much seems to have been done about ending the menace of paid news, the reasons need to be seen in the mindset of the vested interests &mdash; the media beneficiaries of the racket and the political players in the electoral field who place a high value on propagandistic support in India's burgeoning mass media. This nexus needs to be broken. At the same time, it must be realised that government intervention is likely to do more harm than good in respect of media functioning. Pushing for effective self-regulation and publicly shaming the corrupt elements is the way to go &mdash; without losing more time. </font><br /><br /></div>                                                           
                        </div>
                    </td>
                </tr>
            </table>
        </div>
    </div>
</div>
<div class="clear"></div>
    <br><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/Readers-Editor/article811471.ece" class="re" target="_blank">The Hindu, 4 October, 2010, http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/Readers-Editor/article811471.ece</a><div class="clear"></div>
    <div style="padding-top: 18px;">
        <p class="post-tag">Tagged with:
                            <a class="tagcloud5"
                   href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=media"
                   title="media">
                    media                </a>
                        </p>
    </div>
<div class="clear"></div>
    <br><br>
    <div class="widget-top">
        <h4>Related Articles</h4>
        <div class="stripe-line"></div>
    </div>
    <div class="widget-container">
        <ul id="recentcomments">
                            <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/new-consumption-survey-to-track-online-expenses-in-bid-to-capture-real-economic-picture-ishaan-gera.html"
                       title="New consumption survey to track online expenses in bid to capture real economic picture - Ishaan Gera">
                        New consumption survey to track online expenses in bid to capture real economic picture - Ishaan Gera                    </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/potential-model-sevanti-ninan.html"
                       title="Potential model -Sevanti Ninan ">
                        Potential model -Sevanti Ninan                     </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/death-of-the-cartoon-paromita-sen.html"
                       title="Death of the Cartoon -Paromita Sen ">
                        Death of the Cartoon -Paromita Sen                     </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/define-anti-national-attitude-parliamentary-panel.html"
                       title="Define ‘anti-national attitude’: Parliamentary panel ">
                        Define ‘anti-national attitude’: Parliamentary panel                     </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/farmers-win-on-many-fronts-media-fails-on-all-p-sainath.html"
                       title="Farmers Win on Many Fronts, Media Fails on All -P Sainath">
                        Farmers Win on Many Fronts, Media Fails on All -P Sainath                    </a>
                </li>
                
        </ul>
    </div>
    <div class="comment-respond" id="respond">
    <a name="commentbox">&nbsp;</a>
    <h3 class="comment-reply-title" id="reply-title">Write Comments</h3>
    <form method="post" accept-charset="utf-8" role="form" action="/latest-news-updates/ending-paid-news-its-time-to-act-by-s-viswanathan-3632.html"><div style="display:none;"><input type="hidden" name="_method" value="POST"/></div>    <form class="comment-form" id="commentform" method="post" action="#commentbox" onSubmit="return validate()"
          name="cmtform">
        <input type="hidden" name="cmttype" value="articlecmt"/>
        <input type="hidden" name="article_id" value="3543"/>
        <p class="comment-notes">Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked <span
                    class="required">*</span></p>
                <p class="comment-form-author">
            <label for="commenterName">Name</label>
            <span class="required">*</span>
            <input type="text" aria-required="true" size="30"
                   value=""
                   name="commenterName" id="commenterName" required="true">
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-email">
            <label for="commenterEmail">Email</label> <span class="required">*</span>
            <input aria-required="true" size="30" name="commenterEmail" id="commenterEmail" type="email"
                   value=""
                   required="true">
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-contact">
            <label for="commenterPh">Contact No.</label>
            <input type="text" size="30"
                   value=""
                   name="commenterPh" id="commenterPh">
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-comment">
            <label for="comment">Comment</label>
            <textarea aria-required="true" required="true" rows="8" cols="45" name="comment"
                      id="comment"></textarea>
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-comment">
            <label for="comment">Type the characters you see in the image below <span class="required">*</span><br><img
                        class="captchaImg"
                        src="https://im4change.in/securimage_show_art.php?tk=1380445985" alt="captcha"/>
            </label>
        </p>
        <input type="text" name="vrcode" required="true"/>

        <p class="form-submit" style="width: 200px;">
            <input type="submit" value="Post Comment" id="submit" name="submit">
        </p></form>
</div>
<style>
    .ui-widget-content {
        height: auto !important;
    }
</style>
<div id="share-modal"></div>
<style>
    .middleContent a{
        background-color: rgba(108,172,228,.2);
    }
    .middleContent a:hover{
        background-color: #418fde;
        border-color: #418fde;
        color: #000;
        }
</style>
<script>
    function shareArticle(article_id) {
        var options = {
            modal: true,
            height: 'auto',
            width: 600 + 'px'
        };
        $('#share-modal').html("");
        $('#share-modal').load('https://im4change.in/share_article?article_id=' + article_id).dialog(options).dialog('open');
    }

    function postShare() {
        var param = 'article_id=' + $("#article_id").val();
        param = param + '&y_name=' + $("#y_name").val();
        param = param + '&y_email=' + $("#y_email").val();
        param = param + '&f_name=' + $("#f_name").val();
        param = param + '&f_email=' + $("#f_email").val();
        param = param + '&y_msg=' + $("#y_msg").val();

        $.ajax({
            type: "POST",
            url: 'https://im4change.in/post_share_article',
            data: param,
            success: function (response) {
                $('#share-modal').html("Thank You, Your message posted to ");
            }
        });
        return false;
    }
</script>                </div>
            </div>
            <!-- Right Side Section Start -->
<!-- MAP Section START -->
<aside class="sidebar indexMarg">
    <div class="ad-cell">
        <a href="https://im4change.in/statemap.php" title="">
            <img src="https://im4change.in/images/map_new_version.png?1582080666" alt="India State Map" class="indiamap" width="232" height="252"/>        </a>
        <div class="rightmapbox">
            <div id="sideOne" class="docltitle"><a href="https://im4change.in/state-report/india/36" target="_blank">DOCUMENTS/
                    REPORTS</a></div>
            <div id="sideTwo" class="statetitle"><a href="https://im4change.in/states.php"target="_blank">STATE DATA/
                    HDRs.</a></div>
        </div>
        <div class="widget widgePadTop"></div>
    </div>
</aside>
<!-- MAP Section END -->
<aside class="sidebar sidePadbottom">
    <div class="rightsmlbox1" >
        <a href="https://im4change.in/knowledge_gateway" target="_blank" style="color: #035588;
    font-size: 17px;">
            KNOWLEDGE GATEWAY
        </a>
    </div>
    <div class="rightsmlbox1">

        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
                <a href="https://im4change.in/newsletter" target="_blank">
                    NEWSLETTER
                </a>
            </p>
        </div>
    </div>
        <div class="rightsmlbox1" style="height: 325px;">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
                Interview with Prof. Ravi Srivastava
            </p>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/interview-with-prof-ravi-srivastava-on-current-economic-crisis">
                <img width="250" height="200" src="/images/interview_video_home.jpg" alt="Interview with Prof. Ravi Srivastava"/>
                </a>
                <!--
                <iframe width="250" height="200" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MmaTlntk-wc" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>-->
               
            </p>
            <a href="https://im4change.in/videogallery" class="more-link CatArchalAnch1" target="_blank">
                                More videos
                            </a>
        </div>
    </div>
    
        <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <!--div id="sstory" class="rightboxicons"></div--->
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a href="https://im4change.in/list-success-stories"  target="_blank">Success Stories</a></p>
        </div>
    </div>
    <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a
                        href="https://im4change.in/interviews"  target="_blank">Interviews</a>
            </p>
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a href="https://www.commoncause.in/page.php?id=10" >Donate</a></p>
        </div>
    </div>
    <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a
        href="https://im4change.in/marquee"
        class="isf_link more-link" title="India Focus?" style="border: 4px solid #fdd922;width: 90%;background-color: #fdd922;text-align: center;color: #000000;font-size:18px"  target="_blank">India Focus</a></p>        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="rightsmlbox1" style="height: 104px !important;">
        <a href="https://im4change.in/quarterly_reports.php" target="_blank">
            Quarterly Reports on Effect of Economic Slowdown on Employment in India (2008 - 2015)
        </a>
    </div>
    
<!--     <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.im4.im4change" target="_blank">
            
        </a></div> -->
    <!-- <section class="cat-box recent-box secMarg">
        <h2 class="cat-box-title">Most Visited</h2>
    </section> -->
    <!-- accordion Starts here -->
    <!-- <div id="accordion" class="accordMarg">
            </div> -->
    <!-- accordion ends here -->
    <!-- Widget Tag Cloud Starts here -->
    <div id="tag_cloud-2" class="widget widget_tag_cloud">
        <section class="cat-box recent-box secMarg">
                <h2 class="cat-box-title">MOST VISITED TAGS</h2>
            </section>
        <div class="widget-top wiPdTp">
           
            <div class="stripe-line"></div>
        </div>
        <div class="widget-container">
            <div class="tagcloud">
                                    <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Agriculture"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Agriculture</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Food Security"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Food Security</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Law and Justice"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Law and Justice</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Health"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Health</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Right to Food"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Right to Food</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Corruption"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Corruption</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=farming"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">farming</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Environment"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Environment</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Right to Information"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Right to Information</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=NREGS"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">NREGS</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Human Rights"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Human Rights</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Governance"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Governance</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PDS"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PDS</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=COVID-19"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">COVID-19</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Land Acquisition"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Land Acquisition</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=mgnrega"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">mgnrega</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Farmers"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Farmers</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=transparency"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">transparency</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Gender"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Gender</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Poverty"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Poverty</a>
                                    
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Farm Laws" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Farm Laws
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Citizenship Amendment Act" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Citizenship Amendment Act
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=CAA NPR NRIC" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">CAA NPR NRIC
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Job Losses" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Job Losses
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Migrant Workers" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Migrant Workers
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Unemployment" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Unemployment
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PMGKAY" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PMGKAY
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PM-KISAN" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PM-KISAN
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PM-CARES" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PM-CARES
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=LFPR" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">LFPR
                </a>
                
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
    <!-- Widget Tag Cloud Ends here -->
</aside>
<!-- Right Side Section End -->
        </div>
        <section class="cat-box cats-review-box footerSec">
    <h2 class="cat-box-title vSec CatArcha">Video
        Archives</h2>
    <h2 class="cat-box-title CatArchaTitle">Archives</h2>
    <div class="cat-box-content">
        <div class="reviews-cat">
            <div class="CatArchaDiv1">
                <div class="CatArchaDiv2">
                    <ul>
                                                    <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/moving-upstream-luni-fellowship.html"  target="_blank">
                                     Moving Upstream: Luni – Fellowship                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/135-million-indians-exited-multidimensional-poverty-as-per-government-figures-is-that-the-same-as-poverty-reduction.html"  target="_blank">
                                     135 Million Indians Exited “Multidimensional" Poverty as per Government...                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/explainer-why-are-tomato-prices-on-fire.html"  target="_blank">
                                     Explainer: Why are Tomato Prices on Fire?                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/nsso-survey-only-39-1-of-all-households-have-drinking-water-within-dwelling-46-7-of-rural-households-use-firewood-for-cooking.html"  target="_blank">
                                     NSSO Survey: Only 39.1% of all Households have Drinking...                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                    <li class="CatArchalLi1">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57"
                               class="more-link CatArchalAnch1"  target="_blank">
                                More...
                            </a>
                        </li>
                    </ul>
                </div>
                                    <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/I51LYnP8BOk/1.jpg"
                             alt=" Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Short-Video-on-im4change-Hindi-website-Inclusive-Media-for-Change"  target="_blank">
                                 Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                                        <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/kNqha-SwfIY/1.jpg"
                             alt=" "Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-1- Scope-of-IDEA-and-AgriStack-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022"  target="_blank">
                                 "Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                                        <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/6kIVjlgZItk/1.jpg"
                             alt=" "Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-2-Farmer-Centric-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022"  target="_blank">
                                 "Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                                        <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/2BeHTu0y7xc/1.jpg"
                             alt=" "Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-3-Future-of-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022"  target="_blank">
                                 "Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                    


                <div class="divWidth">
                    <ul class="divWidthMarg">
                                                    <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Public-Spending-on-Agriculture-in-India-Source-Foundation-for-Agrarian-Studies"
                                   title="Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for Agrarian Studies)"  target="_blank">
                                     Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for...</a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Agrarian-Change-Seminar-Protests-against-the-New-Farm-Laws-in-India-by-Prof-Vikas-Rawal-JNU-Source-Journal-Of-Agrarian-Change"
                                   title="Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws in India' by Prof. Vikas Rawal, JNU (Source: Journal Of Agrarian Change) "  target="_blank">
                                     Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws...</a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Webinar-Ramrao-The-Story-of-India-Farm-Crisis-Source-Azim-Premji-University"
                                   title="Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis (Source: Azim Premji University)"  target="_blank">
                                     Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis...</a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/water-and-agricultural-transformation-in-India"
                                   title="Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship (Source: IGIDR)"  target="_blank">
                                     Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship...</a>
                            </li>
                                                    <li class="CatArchalLi1">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/videogallery"
                               class="more-link CatArchalAnch1"  target="_blank">
                                More...
                            </a>
                        </li>
                    </ul>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
</section>    </div>
    <div class="clear"></div>
    <!-- Footer option Starts here -->
    <div class="footer-bottom fade-in animated4">
        <div class="container">
            <div class="social-icons icon_flat">
                <p class="SocialMargTop"> Website Developed by <a target="_blank" title="Web Development"
                                                                  class="wot right"
                                                                  href="http://www.ravinderkhurana.com/" rel="nofollow">
                                                                  RAVINDErkHURANA.com</a></p>
            </div>
            <div class="alignleft">
                <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/objectives-8.html"
    class="link"
    title="Objectives">Objectives</a> | <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html"
    class="link" title="About Us">About Us</a> | <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/media-workshops.php"
    class="ucwords">Workshops</a> | <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/disclaimer/disclaimer-149.html"
    title="Disclaimer">Disclaimer</a>            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
    <!-- Footer option ends here -->
</div>
<div id="connect">
    <a target="_blank"
       href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/ending-paid-news-its-time-to-act-by-s-viswanathan-3632.html"
       title="Share on Facebook">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/Facebook.png?1582080640" alt="share on Facebook" class="ImgBorder"/>
    </a><br/>
    <a target="_blank"
       href="http://twitter.com/share?text=Im4change&amp;url=https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/ending-paid-news-its-time-to-act-by-s-viswanathan-3632.html"
       title="Share on Twitter">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/twitter.png?1582080632" alt="Twitter" class="ImgBorder"/>    </a>
    <br/>
    <a href="/feeds" title="RSS Feed" target="_blank">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/rss.png?1582080632" alt="RSS" class="ImgBorder"/>
    </a>
    <br/>
    <a class="feedback-link" id="feedbackFormLink" href="#">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/feedback.png?1582080630" alt="Feedback" class="ImgBorder"/>
    </a> <br/>
    <a href="javascript:function iprl5(){var d=document,z=d.createElement('scr'+'ipt'),b=d.body,l=d.location;try{if(!b)throw(0);d.title='(Saving...) '+d.title;z.setAttribute('src',l.protocol+'//www.instapaper.com/j/WKrH3R7ORD5p?u='+encodeURIComponent(l.href)+'&amp;t='+(new Date().getTime()));b.appendChild(z);}catch(e){alert('Please wait until the page has loaded.');}}iprl5();void(0)"
       class="bookmarklet" onclick="return explain_bookmarklet();">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/read-it-later.png?1582080632" alt="Read Later" class="ImgBorder"/>    </a>
</div>
<!-- Feedback form Starts here -->
<div id="feedbackForm" class="overlay_form" class="ImgBorder">
    <h2>Contact Form</h2>
    <div id="contactform1">
        <div id="formleft">
            <form id="submitform" action="/contactus.php" method="post">
                <input type="hidden" name="submitform" value="submitform"/>
                <input type="hidden" name="salt_key" value="a0e0f2c6a0644a70e57ad2c96829709a"/>
                <input type="hidden" name="ref" value="feedback"/>
                <fieldset>
                    <label>Name :</label>
                    <input type="text" name="name" class="tbox" required/>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    <label>Email :</label>
                    <input type="text" name="email" class="tbox" required/>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    <label>Message :</label>
                    <textarea rows="5" cols="20" name="message" required></textarea>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    Please enter security code
                    <div class="clear"></div>
                    <input type="text" name="vrcode" class="tbox"/>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    <input type="submit" class="button" value="Submit"/>
                    &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="#" id="closefeedbakcformLink">Close</a>
                </fieldset>
            </form>
        </div>
        <div class="clearfix"></div>
    </div>
</div>
<div id="donate_popup" class="modal" style="max-width: 800px;">
    <table width="100%" border="1">
        <tr>
            <td colspan="2" align="center">
                <b>Support im4change</b>
            </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td width="25%" valign="middle">
                <img src="https://im4change.in/images/logo2.jpg?1582080632" alt="" width="100%"/>            </td>
            <td style="padding-left:10px;padding-top:10px;">
                <form action="https://im4change.in/donate" method="get">
                    <table width="100%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
                        <tr>
                            <td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                10
                            </td>
                            <td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                100
                            </td>
                            <td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                1000
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td colspan="3">
                                &nbsp;
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td  style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                50
                            </td>
                            <td  style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                500
                            </td>
                            <td  style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                <input type="text" name="price" placeholder="?" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td colspan="3">
                                &nbsp;
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td colspan="3" align="right">
                                <input type="button" name="Pay" value="Pay"
                                       style="width: 200px;background-color: rgb(205, 35, 36);color: #ffffff;"/>
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                    </table>
                </form>
            </td>
        </tr>
    </table>
</div><script type='text/javascript'>

    /* <![CDATA[ */

    var tievar = {'go_to': 'Go to...'};

    /* ]]> */

</script>
<script src="/js/tie-scripts.js?1575549704"></script><script src="/js/bootstrap.js?1575549704"></script><script src="/js/jquery.modal.min.js?1578284310"></script><script>
    $(document).ready(function() {
        // tell the autocomplete function to get its data from our php script
        $('#s').autocomplete({
            source: "/autocomplete"
        });
    });
</script>
<script src="/vj-main-sw-register.js" async></script>

<script>function init(){var imgDefer=document.getElementsByTagName('img');for(var i=0;i<imgDefer.length;i++){if(imgDefer[i].getAttribute('data-src')){imgDefer[i].setAttribute('src',imgDefer[i].getAttribute('data-src'))}}}
window.onload=init;</script>
</body>
</html>'

}
$maxBufferLength = (int) 8192
$file = '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php'
$line = (int) 853
$message = 'Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853'
Cake\Http\ResponseEmitter::emit() - CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48
Cake\Http\Server::emit() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 141
[main] - ROOT/webroot/index.php, line 39

Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Code Context
            $response->getStatusCode(),

            ($reasonPhrase ? ' ' . $reasonPhrase : '')

        ));
$response = object(Cake\Http\Response) {

	'status' => (int) 200,
	'contentType' => 'text/html',
	'headers' => [
		'Content-Type' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
	],
	'file' => null,
	'fileRange' => [],
	'cookies' => object(Cake\Http\Cookie\CookieCollection) {},
	'cacheDirectives' => [],
	'body' => '<!DOCTYPE html>
<!--[if lt IE 7 ]>
<html class="ie ie6" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 7 ]>
<html class="ie ie7" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 8 ]>
<html class="ie ie8" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if (gte IE 9)|!(IE)]><!-->
<html lang='en'>
<!--<![endif]-->
<head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
    
    <title>
        LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Ending ‘paid news’: it’s time to act by S Viswanathan    </title>
    <meta name="description" content="



It's been nearly a year since the &lsquo;paid news' syndrome &mdash; an appalling industry-wide violation of media ethics and a media-related electoral malpractice &mdash; was brought to people's attention by a section of the media. The issue still remains in..."/>
    <meta name="keywords" content="media"/>
    <meta name="news_keywords" content="media">
   
    <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="ROR" href="/ror.xml"/>
    <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS 2.0" href="/feeds/"/>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/bootstrap.min.css?1697864993"/>    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/style.css?v=1.1.2"/>    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/style-inner.css?1577045210"/>    <link rel="stylesheet" id="Oswald-css"
          href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Oswald%3Aregular%2C700&amp;ver=3.8.1" type="text/css"
          media="all">
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/jquery.modal.min.css?1578285302"/>    <script src="/js/jquery-1.10.2.js?1575549704"></script>    <script src="/js/jquery-migrate.min.js?1575549704"></script>    <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico" title="Favicon">
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/jquery-ui.css?1580720609"/>    <script src="/js/jquery-ui.js?1575549704"></script>    <link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/custom.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/jquery.modal.min.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/jquery-ui.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/li-scroller.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<!-- <link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/style.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous"> -->
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/style-inner.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">

<link rel='dns-prefetch' href="//im4change.org/css/custom.css" crossorigin >

<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/bootstrap.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.li-scroller.1.0.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.modal.min.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.ui.totop.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-1.10.2.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-migrate.min.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-ui.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/setting.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/tie-scripts.js">
    <!--[if IE]>
    <script type="text/javascript">jQuery(document).ready(function () {
        jQuery(".menu-item").has("ul").children("a").attr("aria-haspopup", "true");
    });</script>
    <![endif]-->
    <!--[if lt IE 9]>
    <script src="/js/html5.js"></script>
    <script src="/js/selectivizr-min.js"></script>
    <![endif]-->
    <!--[if IE 8]>
    <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="all" href="/css/ie8.css"/>
    <![endif]-->
    <meta property="og:title" content="LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Ending ‘paid news’: it’s time to act by S Viswanathan" />
     <meta property="og:url" content="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/ending-paid-news-its-time-to-act-by-s-viswanathan-3632.html" />
     <meta property="og:type" content="article" />
     <meta property="og:description" content="



It's been nearly a year since the &lsquo;paid news' syndrome &mdash; an appalling industry-wide violation of media ethics and a media-related electoral malpractice &mdash; was brought to people's attention by a section of the media. The issue still remains in..." />
     <meta property="og:image" content="" />
      <meta property="fb:app_id" content="0" />
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, user-scalable=no">

       <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="144x144" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple1.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="120x120" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple2.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="72x72" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple3.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple4.png">

    <style>
    .gsc-results-wrapper-overlay{
        top: 38% !important;
        height: 50% !important;
    }
    .gsc-search-button-v2{
        border-color: #035588 !important;
        background-color: #035588 !important;
    }

   .gsib_a{
        height: 30px !important;
          padding: 2px 8px 1px 6px !important;
    }

   
    .gsc-search-button-v2{
        height: 41px !important;
    }
    input.gsc-input{
        background: none !important;
    }
    @media only screen and (max-width: 600px) {
        .gsc-results-wrapper-overlay{
            top: 11% !important;
            width: 87% !important;
            left: 9% !important;
            height: 43% !important;
        }

        .gsc-search-button-v2{
            padding: 10px 10px !important;
        
        }
        .gsc-input-box{
            height: 28px !important;
        }
       /* .gsib_a {
            padding: 0px 9px 4px 9px !important;
        }*/
    }
    @media only screen and (min-width: 1200px) and (max-width: 1920px) {
        table.gsc-search-box{
            width: 15% !important;
            float: right !important;
            margin-top: -118px !important;
        }

        .gsc-search-button-v2 {
            
            padding: 6px !important;
           
        }
    }


</style>

    <script>
        $(function () {
            $("#accordion").accordion({
                event: "click hoverintent"
            });
        });

        /*
         * hoverIntent | Copyright 2011 Brian Cherne
         * http://cherne.net/brian/resources/jquery.hoverIntent.html
         * modified by the jQuery UI team
         */
        $.event.special.hoverintent = {
            setup: function () {
                $(this).bind("mouseover", jQuery.event.special.hoverintent.handler);
            },
            teardown: function () {
                $(this).unbind("mouseover", jQuery.event.special.hoverintent.handler);
            },
            handler: function (event) {
                var currentX, currentY, timeout,
                    args = arguments,
                    target = $(event.target),
                    previousX = event.pageX,
                    previousY = event.pageY;

                function track(event) {
                    currentX = event.pageX;
                    currentY = event.pageY;
                }
                ;

                function clear() {
                    target
                        .unbind("mousemove", track)
                        .unbind("mouseout", clear);
                    clearTimeout(timeout);
                }

                function handler() {
                    var prop,
                        orig = event;
                    if ((Math.abs(previousX - currentX) +
                        Math.abs(previousY - currentY)) < 7) {
                        clear();
                        event = $.Event("hoverintent");
                        for (prop in orig) {
                            if (!(prop in event)) {
                                event[prop] = orig[prop];
                            }
                        }
                        // Prevent accessing the original event since the new event
                        // is fired asynchronously and the old event is no longer
                        // usable (#6028)
                        delete event.originalEvent;
                        target.trigger(event);
                    } else {
                        previousX = currentX;
                        previousY = currentY;
                        timeout = setTimeout(handler, 100);
                    }
                }

                timeout = setTimeout(handler, 100);
                target.bind({
                    mousemove: track,
                    mouseout: clear
                });
            }
        };
    </script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        var _gaq = _gaq || [];
        _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-472075-3']);
        _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

        (function () {
            var ga = document.createElement('script');
            ga.type = 'text/javascript';
            ga.async = true;
            ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
            var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
            s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
        })();
    </script>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/custom.css?v=1.16"/>    <script src="/js/jquery.ui.totop.js?1575549704"></script>    <script src="/js/setting.js?1575549704"></script>    <link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.json">
    <meta name="theme-color" content="#616163" />
    <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes">
    <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-status-bar-style" content="black">
    <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-title" content="im4change">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/icons/logo-192x192.png">
</head>
<body id="top" class="home inner blog">
<div class="background-cover"></div>
<div class="wrapper animated">
    <header id="theme-header" class="header_inner" style="position: relative;">
        <div class="logo inner_logo" style="left:20px !important">
                <a title="Home" href="https://im4change.in/">
                    <img src="https://im4change.in/images/logo2.jpg?1582080632" class="logo_image" alt="im4change"/>                </a>
        </div>
        <div class="langhindi" style="color: #000;display:none;"
             href="https://im4change.in/">
            <a class="more-link" href="https://im4change.in/">Home</a>
                        <a href="https://im4change.in/hindi/" class="langbutton ">हिन्दी</a>
                    </div>
        <nav class="fade-in animated2" id="main-nav">
            <div class="container">
                <div class="main-menu">
    <ul class="menu" id="menu-main">
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children"
            style="left: -40px;"><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/">Home</a>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item mega-menu menu-item-type-taxonomy mega-menu menu-item-object-category mega-menu menu-item-has-children parent-list"
            style=" margin-left: -40px;"><a href="#">KNOWLEDGE GATEWAY <span class="sub-indicator"></span>
            </a>
            <div class="mega-menu-block background_menu" style="padding-top:25px;">
                <div class="container">
                    <div class="mega-menu-content">
                                                                   <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Farm Crisis</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/farmers039-suicides-14.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Farm Suicides                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/unemployment-30.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Unemployment                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/rural-distress-70.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Rural distress                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/migration-34.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Migration                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/key-facts-72.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Key Facts                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/debt-trap-15.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Debt Trap                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Empowerment</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/union-budget-73.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Union Budget And Other Economic Policies                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/forest-and-tribal-rights-61.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Forest and Tribal Rights                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-education-60.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Education                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-food-59.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Food                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/displacement-3279.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Displacement                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-work-mg-nrega-39.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Work (MG-NREGA)                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/gender-3280.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">GENDER                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-information-58.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Information                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/social-audit-48.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Social Audit                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Hunger / HDI</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/poverty-and-inequality-20499.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Poverty and inequality                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/malnutrition-41.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Malnutrition                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/public-health-51.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Public Health                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/education-50.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Education                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/hunger-overview-40.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Hunger Overview                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/hdi-overview-45.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">HDI Overview                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/pds-ration-food-security-42.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">PDS/ Ration/ Food Security                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/sdgs-113.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">SDGs                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/mid-day-meal-scheme-mdms-53.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS)                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Environment</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/time-bomb-ticking-52.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Time Bomb Ticking                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/water-and-sanitation-55.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Water and Sanitation                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/impact-on-agriculture-54.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Impact on Agriculture                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Law & Justice</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/social-justice-20500.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Social Justice                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/access-to-justice-47.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Access to Justice                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/human-rights-56.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Human Rights                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/corruption-35.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Corruption                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/general-insecurity-46.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">General Insecurity                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/disaster-relief-49.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Disaster &amp; Relief                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        
                    </div>
                </div>
            </div>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page "><a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/nceus_reports.php">NCEUS reports</a>
            
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children parent-list ">
            <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html">About Us <span
                    class="sub-indicator"></span></a>
            <ul class="sub-menu aboutmenu">
                <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page"><a
                        target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/objectives-8.html">Objectives</a>
                </li>
                <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page"><a
                         target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/contactus.php">Contact
                        Us</a></li>
                <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page"><a
                         target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html">About
                        Us</a></li>
            </ul>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children ">
            <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/fellowships.php" title="Fellowships">Fellowships</a>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children  "><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/media-workshops.php">Workshops</a>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children  "><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/research.php">Research</a></li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children   "><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/links-64">Partners</a></li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children"
            id="menu-item-539"><a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hindi/"
                                  class="langbutton langlinkfont17">हिन्दी</a></li>
    </ul>
</div>            </div>


                        <!--  <div style="float: right;">
                            <script async src="https://cse.google.com/cse.js?cx=18b4f2e0f11bed3dd"></script>
                            <div class="gcse-search"></div>
                        </div> -->
                       
            <div class="search-block" style=" margin-left: 8px; margin-right: 7px;">
                <form method="get" id="searchform" name="searchform"
                      action="https://im4change.in/search"
                      onsubmit="return searchvalidate();">
                    <button class="search-button" type="submit" value="Search"></button>
                    <input type="text" id="s" name="qryStr" value=""
                           onfocus="if (this.value == 'Search...') {this.value = '';}"
                           onblur="if (this.value == '') {this.value = 'Search...';}">
                </form>
            </div>
        </nav>
    </header>
    <div class="container">
        <div id="main-content" class=" main1 container fade-in animated3 sidebar-narrow-left">
            <div class="content-wrap">
                <div class="content" style="width: 900px;min-height: 500px;">
                    <section class="cat-box recent-box innerCatRecent">
    <h1 class="cat-box-title">Ending ‘paid news’: it’s time to act by S Viswanathan</h1>
    <a href="JavaScript:void(0);" onclick="return shareArticle(3543);">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/email.png?1582080630" border="0" width="24" align="right" alt="Share this article"/>    </a>

    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/ending-paid-news-its-time-to-act-by-s-viswanathan-3632/print"
       rel="nofollow">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/icon-print.png?1582080630" border="0" width="24" align="right" alt="Share this article"/>
    </a>
</section>
<section class="recent-box innerCatRecent">
    <small class="pb-1"><span class="dateIcn">
    	<img src="https://im4change.in/images/published.svg?1582080666" alt="published"/> 
		 Published on</span><span class="text-date"> Oct 5, 2010</span>
        &nbsp; <span
                class="dateIcn">
		 	<img src="https://im4change.in/images/modified.svg?1582080666" alt="modified"/>    	 Modified on </span><span class="text-date"> Oct 5, 2010</span>
    </small>
</section>
<div class="clear"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 10px;">
    <div class="innerLineHeight">
        <div class="middleContent innerInput latest-news-updates">
            <table>
                <tr>
                    <td>
                                                <div>
                            <font ><br /></font><div align="justify"><br /><font >It's been nearly a year since the &lsquo;paid news' syndrome &mdash; an appalling industry-wide violation of media ethics and a media-related electoral malpractice &mdash; was brought to people's attention by a section of the media. The issue still remains in the public domain, drawing critical comment and protest every now and then. The large-scale practice of paid news, particularly during the run-up to elections, has the potential of misleading the electorate in judging the relative merits and demerits of the contestants and, as a consequence, influencing the verdict by corrupt and underhand means.</font><br /><br /><font >The report of a sub-committee formed by the Press Council of India (PCI), which enquired into the scandal in some depth, is awaiting clearance. PCI Chairman G.N. Ray, a retired Supreme Court Judge, hints at some bottlenecks in legislating on the subject. He attributes the emergence of paid news to the corporatisation and monopolisation of the media. With Assembly elections fast approaching in several States, the need for no-nonsense action on the report in order to ensure free and fair elections is urgently felt.</font><br /><br /><font >Justice Ray has offered no clue as to when the report will be made public. He has, however, denied the charge that PCI has suppressed the findings of the sub-committee. He has claimed that the sub-committee's report is not that of the PCI and that the decision not to incorporate the full report in the final recommendations (for &lsquo;want of clinching evidence') was made by the drafting committee's majority. However a member of the PCI, K. Kesava Rao, who is also a member of the Congress Working Committee, has said that though the Supreme Court, Parliament, jurists, writers, and eminent persons have come out in support of action against paid news, &ldquo;we are yet to come to a compromise on how to handle it.&rdquo;</font><br /><font ></font></div><div align="justify">&nbsp;</div><div align="justify"><em><font >A paradigm shift</font><br /></em><br /><font >In a hard-hitting speech at a recent Coimbatore seminar, Justice Ray accused the media of losing focus during the last few decades. In fact, he saw a paradigm shift in the functioning of the media at the cost of values that it had been following all along. Describing the media as a valiant partner in democracy that ought to guide civil society, political parties, and the state on the path of good and responsible governance, the PCI chief has registered angst over the media sidelining this mission, with professional commitment undermined by hyper-commercialism. The PCI chairman also cited recent concerns expressed by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) over the &lsquo;private treaties' entered into by some media houses with corporate bodies. In consequence, the Press Council had issued guidelines for the media on the subject.</font><br /><br /><font >The private treaties system has been characterised as a (business arena) counterpart of, and a precursor to, the paid news phenomenon (in the political sphere), even if the same actors might not be involved in the two cases. In a letter to the PCI Chairman, SEBI stated that private treaties might lead to commercialisation of news reports since they would be based on the subscription and advertising agreement entered into between the media group and the company. Any biased or imbalanced reporting may lead to inaccurate perceptions of the companies, which are the beneficiaries of such private treaties. Media houses entered into private treaties with companies that were listed or were coming out with public offers &ldquo;for a stake in the company and in return providing media coverage through advertisements, news reports, editorials, etc.&rdquo; (&ldquo;Private Treaties harm fair, unbiased news: SEBI, report in The Hindu, June 19, 2010.) SEBI rightly intervened to protect the interests of other stakeholders, companies and investors in this exercise, by ensuring that the corporate bodies as well as the media groups that have deals with them to be transparent in their operations by declaring their relevant, mutual financial commitments at their websites.</font><br /><font ></font></div><div align="justify">&nbsp;</div><div align="justify"><em><font >A noteworthy difference</font><br /></em><br /><font >One significant difference of course is that neither SEBI nor the PCI has demanded a ban on the private treaty system while virtually everyone &mdash; from the President of India and the Vice President to political leaders across the spectrum and social activists &mdash; has publicly condemned the paid news racket and demanded an end to it. The Editors Guild of India has recorded its commitment to keep the media as much as the electoral system corruption-free. It has even promised to make the war on paid news its &lsquo;one point' programme in the coming year. The PCI Chairman and working journalists associations and federations have all extended their support to efforts to end the menace. Several newspapers and their readers have also taken the right stand on the issue.</font><br /><br /><font >But paradoxically, no tough and effective measures have been proposed, let alone set in motion, by the Press Council or the Election Commission of India to stamp out the paid news racket.</font><br /><br /><font >To be fair to the ECI, it has expressed its opposition to the reprehensible practice in no uncertain terms. It has, not surprisingly, rejected the PCI proposal to depute journalists/senior citizens as observers during elections. The constitutionally sanctioned Commission did not agree with the PCI's contention that its recommendations on paid news were binding on the Commission. The reason was that the Election Commission would have to work within the constitutional provisions, the relevant Acts, and electoral laws. Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi explained, in a letter to Justice Ray, that while the EC &ldquo;is doing its best in the matter and assures further cooperation, you would appreciate that the Council has to facilitate more of self-regulation by media and also develop and share with the EC a more exact prescription to adjudge paid news.&rdquo; The Commission, however, said that it would take &ldquo;due cognisance of the recommendations of the PCI in alleged incidents of paid news.&rdquo;</font><br /><font ></font></div><div align="justify">&nbsp;</div><div align="justify"><em><font >Break the nexus</font><br /></em><br /><font >If in spite of huge support across society and across the polity nothing much seems to have been done about ending the menace of paid news, the reasons need to be seen in the mindset of the vested interests &mdash; the media beneficiaries of the racket and the political players in the electoral field who place a high value on propagandistic support in India's burgeoning mass media. This nexus needs to be broken. At the same time, it must be realised that government intervention is likely to do more harm than good in respect of media functioning. Pushing for effective self-regulation and publicly shaming the corrupt elements is the way to go &mdash; without losing more time. </font><br /><br /></div>                                                           
                        </div>
                    </td>
                </tr>
            </table>
        </div>
    </div>
</div>
<div class="clear"></div>
    <br><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/Readers-Editor/article811471.ece" class="re" target="_blank">The Hindu, 4 October, 2010, http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/Readers-Editor/article811471.ece</a><div class="clear"></div>
    <div style="padding-top: 18px;">
        <p class="post-tag">Tagged with:
                            <a class="tagcloud5"
                   href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=media"
                   title="media">
                    media                </a>
                        </p>
    </div>
<div class="clear"></div>
    <br><br>
    <div class="widget-top">
        <h4>Related Articles</h4>
        <div class="stripe-line"></div>
    </div>
    <div class="widget-container">
        <ul id="recentcomments">
                            <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/new-consumption-survey-to-track-online-expenses-in-bid-to-capture-real-economic-picture-ishaan-gera.html"
                       title="New consumption survey to track online expenses in bid to capture real economic picture - Ishaan Gera">
                        New consumption survey to track online expenses in bid to capture real economic picture - Ishaan Gera                    </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/potential-model-sevanti-ninan.html"
                       title="Potential model -Sevanti Ninan ">
                        Potential model -Sevanti Ninan                     </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/death-of-the-cartoon-paromita-sen.html"
                       title="Death of the Cartoon -Paromita Sen ">
                        Death of the Cartoon -Paromita Sen                     </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/define-anti-national-attitude-parliamentary-panel.html"
                       title="Define ‘anti-national attitude’: Parliamentary panel ">
                        Define ‘anti-national attitude’: Parliamentary panel                     </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/farmers-win-on-many-fronts-media-fails-on-all-p-sainath.html"
                       title="Farmers Win on Many Fronts, Media Fails on All -P Sainath">
                        Farmers Win on Many Fronts, Media Fails on All -P Sainath                    </a>
                </li>
                
        </ul>
    </div>
    <div class="comment-respond" id="respond">
    <a name="commentbox">&nbsp;</a>
    <h3 class="comment-reply-title" id="reply-title">Write Comments</h3>
    <form method="post" accept-charset="utf-8" role="form" action="/latest-news-updates/ending-paid-news-its-time-to-act-by-s-viswanathan-3632.html"><div style="display:none;"><input type="hidden" name="_method" value="POST"/></div>    <form class="comment-form" id="commentform" method="post" action="#commentbox" onSubmit="return validate()"
          name="cmtform">
        <input type="hidden" name="cmttype" value="articlecmt"/>
        <input type="hidden" name="article_id" value="3543"/>
        <p class="comment-notes">Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked <span
                    class="required">*</span></p>
                <p class="comment-form-author">
            <label for="commenterName">Name</label>
            <span class="required">*</span>
            <input type="text" aria-required="true" size="30"
                   value=""
                   name="commenterName" id="commenterName" required="true">
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-email">
            <label for="commenterEmail">Email</label> <span class="required">*</span>
            <input aria-required="true" size="30" name="commenterEmail" id="commenterEmail" type="email"
                   value=""
                   required="true">
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-contact">
            <label for="commenterPh">Contact No.</label>
            <input type="text" size="30"
                   value=""
                   name="commenterPh" id="commenterPh">
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-comment">
            <label for="comment">Comment</label>
            <textarea aria-required="true" required="true" rows="8" cols="45" name="comment"
                      id="comment"></textarea>
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-comment">
            <label for="comment">Type the characters you see in the image below <span class="required">*</span><br><img
                        class="captchaImg"
                        src="https://im4change.in/securimage_show_art.php?tk=1380445985" alt="captcha"/>
            </label>
        </p>
        <input type="text" name="vrcode" required="true"/>

        <p class="form-submit" style="width: 200px;">
            <input type="submit" value="Post Comment" id="submit" name="submit">
        </p></form>
</div>
<style>
    .ui-widget-content {
        height: auto !important;
    }
</style>
<div id="share-modal"></div>
<style>
    .middleContent a{
        background-color: rgba(108,172,228,.2);
    }
    .middleContent a:hover{
        background-color: #418fde;
        border-color: #418fde;
        color: #000;
        }
</style>
<script>
    function shareArticle(article_id) {
        var options = {
            modal: true,
            height: 'auto',
            width: 600 + 'px'
        };
        $('#share-modal').html("");
        $('#share-modal').load('https://im4change.in/share_article?article_id=' + article_id).dialog(options).dialog('open');
    }

    function postShare() {
        var param = 'article_id=' + $("#article_id").val();
        param = param + '&y_name=' + $("#y_name").val();
        param = param + '&y_email=' + $("#y_email").val();
        param = param + '&f_name=' + $("#f_name").val();
        param = param + '&f_email=' + $("#f_email").val();
        param = param + '&y_msg=' + $("#y_msg").val();

        $.ajax({
            type: "POST",
            url: 'https://im4change.in/post_share_article',
            data: param,
            success: function (response) {
                $('#share-modal').html("Thank You, Your message posted to ");
            }
        });
        return false;
    }
</script>                </div>
            </div>
            <!-- Right Side Section Start -->
<!-- MAP Section START -->
<aside class="sidebar indexMarg">
    <div class="ad-cell">
        <a href="https://im4change.in/statemap.php" title="">
            <img src="https://im4change.in/images/map_new_version.png?1582080666" alt="India State Map" class="indiamap" width="232" height="252"/>        </a>
        <div class="rightmapbox">
            <div id="sideOne" class="docltitle"><a href="https://im4change.in/state-report/india/36" target="_blank">DOCUMENTS/
                    REPORTS</a></div>
            <div id="sideTwo" class="statetitle"><a href="https://im4change.in/states.php"target="_blank">STATE DATA/
                    HDRs.</a></div>
        </div>
        <div class="widget widgePadTop"></div>
    </div>
</aside>
<!-- MAP Section END -->
<aside class="sidebar sidePadbottom">
    <div class="rightsmlbox1" >
        <a href="https://im4change.in/knowledge_gateway" target="_blank" style="color: #035588;
    font-size: 17px;">
            KNOWLEDGE GATEWAY
        </a>
    </div>
    <div class="rightsmlbox1">

        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
                <a href="https://im4change.in/newsletter" target="_blank">
                    NEWSLETTER
                </a>
            </p>
        </div>
    </div>
        <div class="rightsmlbox1" style="height: 325px;">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
                Interview with Prof. Ravi Srivastava
            </p>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/interview-with-prof-ravi-srivastava-on-current-economic-crisis">
                <img width="250" height="200" src="/images/interview_video_home.jpg" alt="Interview with Prof. Ravi Srivastava"/>
                </a>
                <!--
                <iframe width="250" height="200" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MmaTlntk-wc" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>-->
               
            </p>
            <a href="https://im4change.in/videogallery" class="more-link CatArchalAnch1" target="_blank">
                                More videos
                            </a>
        </div>
    </div>
    
        <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <!--div id="sstory" class="rightboxicons"></div--->
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a href="https://im4change.in/list-success-stories"  target="_blank">Success Stories</a></p>
        </div>
    </div>
    <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a
                        href="https://im4change.in/interviews"  target="_blank">Interviews</a>
            </p>
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a href="https://www.commoncause.in/page.php?id=10" >Donate</a></p>
        </div>
    </div>
    <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a
        href="https://im4change.in/marquee"
        class="isf_link more-link" title="India Focus?" style="border: 4px solid #fdd922;width: 90%;background-color: #fdd922;text-align: center;color: #000000;font-size:18px"  target="_blank">India Focus</a></p>        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="rightsmlbox1" style="height: 104px !important;">
        <a href="https://im4change.in/quarterly_reports.php" target="_blank">
            Quarterly Reports on Effect of Economic Slowdown on Employment in India (2008 - 2015)
        </a>
    </div>
    
<!--     <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.im4.im4change" target="_blank">
            
        </a></div> -->
    <!-- <section class="cat-box recent-box secMarg">
        <h2 class="cat-box-title">Most Visited</h2>
    </section> -->
    <!-- accordion Starts here -->
    <!-- <div id="accordion" class="accordMarg">
            </div> -->
    <!-- accordion ends here -->
    <!-- Widget Tag Cloud Starts here -->
    <div id="tag_cloud-2" class="widget widget_tag_cloud">
        <section class="cat-box recent-box secMarg">
                <h2 class="cat-box-title">MOST VISITED TAGS</h2>
            </section>
        <div class="widget-top wiPdTp">
           
            <div class="stripe-line"></div>
        </div>
        <div class="widget-container">
            <div class="tagcloud">
                                    <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Agriculture"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Agriculture</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Food Security"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Food Security</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Law and Justice"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Law and Justice</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Health"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Health</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Right to Food"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Right to Food</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Corruption"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Corruption</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=farming"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">farming</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Environment"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Environment</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Right to Information"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Right to Information</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=NREGS"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">NREGS</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Human Rights"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Human Rights</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Governance"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Governance</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PDS"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PDS</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=COVID-19"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">COVID-19</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Land Acquisition"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Land Acquisition</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=mgnrega"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">mgnrega</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Farmers"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Farmers</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=transparency"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">transparency</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Gender"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Gender</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Poverty"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Poverty</a>
                                    
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Farm Laws" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Farm Laws
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Citizenship Amendment Act" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Citizenship Amendment Act
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=CAA NPR NRIC" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">CAA NPR NRIC
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Job Losses" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Job Losses
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Migrant Workers" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Migrant Workers
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Unemployment" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Unemployment
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PMGKAY" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PMGKAY
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PM-KISAN" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PM-KISAN
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PM-CARES" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PM-CARES
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=LFPR" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">LFPR
                </a>
                
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
    <!-- Widget Tag Cloud Ends here -->
</aside>
<!-- Right Side Section End -->
        </div>
        <section class="cat-box cats-review-box footerSec">
    <h2 class="cat-box-title vSec CatArcha">Video
        Archives</h2>
    <h2 class="cat-box-title CatArchaTitle">Archives</h2>
    <div class="cat-box-content">
        <div class="reviews-cat">
            <div class="CatArchaDiv1">
                <div class="CatArchaDiv2">
                    <ul>
                                                    <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/moving-upstream-luni-fellowship.html"  target="_blank">
                                     Moving Upstream: Luni – Fellowship                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/135-million-indians-exited-multidimensional-poverty-as-per-government-figures-is-that-the-same-as-poverty-reduction.html"  target="_blank">
                                     135 Million Indians Exited “Multidimensional" Poverty as per Government...                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/explainer-why-are-tomato-prices-on-fire.html"  target="_blank">
                                     Explainer: Why are Tomato Prices on Fire?                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/nsso-survey-only-39-1-of-all-households-have-drinking-water-within-dwelling-46-7-of-rural-households-use-firewood-for-cooking.html"  target="_blank">
                                     NSSO Survey: Only 39.1% of all Households have Drinking...                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                    <li class="CatArchalLi1">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57"
                               class="more-link CatArchalAnch1"  target="_blank">
                                More...
                            </a>
                        </li>
                    </ul>
                </div>
                                    <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/I51LYnP8BOk/1.jpg"
                             alt=" Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Short-Video-on-im4change-Hindi-website-Inclusive-Media-for-Change"  target="_blank">
                                 Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                                        <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/kNqha-SwfIY/1.jpg"
                             alt=" "Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-1- Scope-of-IDEA-and-AgriStack-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022"  target="_blank">
                                 "Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                                        <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/6kIVjlgZItk/1.jpg"
                             alt=" "Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-2-Farmer-Centric-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022"  target="_blank">
                                 "Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                                        <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/2BeHTu0y7xc/1.jpg"
                             alt=" "Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-3-Future-of-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022"  target="_blank">
                                 "Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                    


                <div class="divWidth">
                    <ul class="divWidthMarg">
                                                    <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Public-Spending-on-Agriculture-in-India-Source-Foundation-for-Agrarian-Studies"
                                   title="Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for Agrarian Studies)"  target="_blank">
                                     Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for...</a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Agrarian-Change-Seminar-Protests-against-the-New-Farm-Laws-in-India-by-Prof-Vikas-Rawal-JNU-Source-Journal-Of-Agrarian-Change"
                                   title="Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws in India' by Prof. Vikas Rawal, JNU (Source: Journal Of Agrarian Change) "  target="_blank">
                                     Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws...</a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Webinar-Ramrao-The-Story-of-India-Farm-Crisis-Source-Azim-Premji-University"
                                   title="Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis (Source: Azim Premji University)"  target="_blank">
                                     Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis...</a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/water-and-agricultural-transformation-in-India"
                                   title="Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship (Source: IGIDR)"  target="_blank">
                                     Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship...</a>
                            </li>
                                                    <li class="CatArchalLi1">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/videogallery"
                               class="more-link CatArchalAnch1"  target="_blank">
                                More...
                            </a>
                        </li>
                    </ul>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
</section>    </div>
    <div class="clear"></div>
    <!-- Footer option Starts here -->
    <div class="footer-bottom fade-in animated4">
        <div class="container">
            <div class="social-icons icon_flat">
                <p class="SocialMargTop"> Website Developed by <a target="_blank" title="Web Development"
                                                                  class="wot right"
                                                                  href="http://www.ravinderkhurana.com/" rel="nofollow">
                                                                  RAVINDErkHURANA.com</a></p>
            </div>
            <div class="alignleft">
                <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/objectives-8.html"
    class="link"
    title="Objectives">Objectives</a> | <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html"
    class="link" title="About Us">About Us</a> | <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/media-workshops.php"
    class="ucwords">Workshops</a> | <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/disclaimer/disclaimer-149.html"
    title="Disclaimer">Disclaimer</a>            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
    <!-- Footer option ends here -->
</div>
<div id="connect">
    <a target="_blank"
       href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/ending-paid-news-its-time-to-act-by-s-viswanathan-3632.html"
       title="Share on Facebook">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/Facebook.png?1582080640" alt="share on Facebook" class="ImgBorder"/>
    </a><br/>
    <a target="_blank"
       href="http://twitter.com/share?text=Im4change&amp;url=https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/ending-paid-news-its-time-to-act-by-s-viswanathan-3632.html"
       title="Share on Twitter">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/twitter.png?1582080632" alt="Twitter" class="ImgBorder"/>    </a>
    <br/>
    <a href="/feeds" title="RSS Feed" target="_blank">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/rss.png?1582080632" alt="RSS" class="ImgBorder"/>
    </a>
    <br/>
    <a class="feedback-link" id="feedbackFormLink" href="#">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/feedback.png?1582080630" alt="Feedback" class="ImgBorder"/>
    </a> <br/>
    <a href="javascript:function iprl5(){var d=document,z=d.createElement('scr'+'ipt'),b=d.body,l=d.location;try{if(!b)throw(0);d.title='(Saving...) '+d.title;z.setAttribute('src',l.protocol+'//www.instapaper.com/j/WKrH3R7ORD5p?u='+encodeURIComponent(l.href)+'&amp;t='+(new Date().getTime()));b.appendChild(z);}catch(e){alert('Please wait until the page has loaded.');}}iprl5();void(0)"
       class="bookmarklet" onclick="return explain_bookmarklet();">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/read-it-later.png?1582080632" alt="Read Later" class="ImgBorder"/>    </a>
</div>
<!-- Feedback form Starts here -->
<div id="feedbackForm" class="overlay_form" class="ImgBorder">
    <h2>Contact Form</h2>
    <div id="contactform1">
        <div id="formleft">
            <form id="submitform" action="/contactus.php" method="post">
                <input type="hidden" name="submitform" value="submitform"/>
                <input type="hidden" name="salt_key" value="a0e0f2c6a0644a70e57ad2c96829709a"/>
                <input type="hidden" name="ref" value="feedback"/>
                <fieldset>
                    <label>Name :</label>
                    <input type="text" name="name" class="tbox" required/>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    <label>Email :</label>
                    <input type="text" name="email" class="tbox" required/>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    <label>Message :</label>
                    <textarea rows="5" cols="20" name="message" required></textarea>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    Please enter security code
                    <div class="clear"></div>
                    <input type="text" name="vrcode" class="tbox"/>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    <input type="submit" class="button" value="Submit"/>
                    &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="#" id="closefeedbakcformLink">Close</a>
                </fieldset>
            </form>
        </div>
        <div class="clearfix"></div>
    </div>
</div>
<div id="donate_popup" class="modal" style="max-width: 800px;">
    <table width="100%" border="1">
        <tr>
            <td colspan="2" align="center">
                <b>Support im4change</b>
            </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td width="25%" valign="middle">
                <img src="https://im4change.in/images/logo2.jpg?1582080632" alt="" width="100%"/>            </td>
            <td style="padding-left:10px;padding-top:10px;">
                <form action="https://im4change.in/donate" method="get">
                    <table width="100%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
                        <tr>
                            <td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                10
                            </td>
                            <td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                100
                            </td>
                            <td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                1000
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td colspan="3">
                                &nbsp;
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td  style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                50
                            </td>
                            <td  style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                500
                            </td>
                            <td  style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                <input type="text" name="price" placeholder="?" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td colspan="3">
                                &nbsp;
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td colspan="3" align="right">
                                <input type="button" name="Pay" value="Pay"
                                       style="width: 200px;background-color: rgb(205, 35, 36);color: #ffffff;"/>
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                    </table>
                </form>
            </td>
        </tr>
    </table>
</div><script type='text/javascript'>

    /* <![CDATA[ */

    var tievar = {'go_to': 'Go to...'};

    /* ]]> */

</script>
<script src="/js/tie-scripts.js?1575549704"></script><script src="/js/bootstrap.js?1575549704"></script><script src="/js/jquery.modal.min.js?1578284310"></script><script>
    $(document).ready(function() {
        // tell the autocomplete function to get its data from our php script
        $('#s').autocomplete({
            source: "/autocomplete"
        });
    });
</script>
<script src="/vj-main-sw-register.js" async></script>

<script>function init(){var imgDefer=document.getElementsByTagName('img');for(var i=0;i<imgDefer.length;i++){if(imgDefer[i].getAttribute('data-src')){imgDefer[i].setAttribute('src',imgDefer[i].getAttribute('data-src'))}}}
window.onload=init;</script>
</body>
</html>'

}
$reasonPhrase = 'OK'
header - [internal], line ??
Cake\Http\ResponseEmitter::emitStatusLine() - CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148
Cake\Http\ResponseEmitter::emit() - CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 54
Cake\Http\Server::emit() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 141
[main] - ROOT/webroot/index.php, line 39

Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
Code Context
                    $value

                ), $first);

                $first = false;
$response = object(Cake\Http\Response) {

	'status' => (int) 200,
	'contentType' => 'text/html',
	'headers' => [
		'Content-Type' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
	],
	'file' => null,
	'fileRange' => [],
	'cookies' => object(Cake\Http\Cookie\CookieCollection) {},
	'cacheDirectives' => [],
	'body' => '<!DOCTYPE html>
<!--[if lt IE 7 ]>
<html class="ie ie6" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 7 ]>
<html class="ie ie7" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 8 ]>
<html class="ie ie8" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if (gte IE 9)|!(IE)]><!-->
<html lang='en'>
<!--<![endif]-->
<head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
    
    <title>
        LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Ending ‘paid news’: it’s time to act by S Viswanathan    </title>
    <meta name="description" content="



It's been nearly a year since the &lsquo;paid news' syndrome &mdash; an appalling industry-wide violation of media ethics and a media-related electoral malpractice &mdash; was brought to people's attention by a section of the media. The issue still remains in..."/>
    <meta name="keywords" content="media"/>
    <meta name="news_keywords" content="media">
   
    <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="ROR" href="/ror.xml"/>
    <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS 2.0" href="/feeds/"/>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/bootstrap.min.css?1697864993"/>    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/style.css?v=1.1.2"/>    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/style-inner.css?1577045210"/>    <link rel="stylesheet" id="Oswald-css"
          href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Oswald%3Aregular%2C700&amp;ver=3.8.1" type="text/css"
          media="all">
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/jquery.modal.min.css?1578285302"/>    <script src="/js/jquery-1.10.2.js?1575549704"></script>    <script src="/js/jquery-migrate.min.js?1575549704"></script>    <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico" title="Favicon">
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/jquery-ui.css?1580720609"/>    <script src="/js/jquery-ui.js?1575549704"></script>    <link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/custom.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/jquery.modal.min.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/jquery-ui.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/li-scroller.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<!-- <link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/style.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous"> -->
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/style-inner.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">

<link rel='dns-prefetch' href="//im4change.org/css/custom.css" crossorigin >

<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/bootstrap.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.li-scroller.1.0.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.modal.min.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.ui.totop.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-1.10.2.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-migrate.min.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-ui.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/setting.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/tie-scripts.js">
    <!--[if IE]>
    <script type="text/javascript">jQuery(document).ready(function () {
        jQuery(".menu-item").has("ul").children("a").attr("aria-haspopup", "true");
    });</script>
    <![endif]-->
    <!--[if lt IE 9]>
    <script src="/js/html5.js"></script>
    <script src="/js/selectivizr-min.js"></script>
    <![endif]-->
    <!--[if IE 8]>
    <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="all" href="/css/ie8.css"/>
    <![endif]-->
    <meta property="og:title" content="LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Ending ‘paid news’: it’s time to act by S Viswanathan" />
     <meta property="og:url" content="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/ending-paid-news-its-time-to-act-by-s-viswanathan-3632.html" />
     <meta property="og:type" content="article" />
     <meta property="og:description" content="



It's been nearly a year since the &lsquo;paid news' syndrome &mdash; an appalling industry-wide violation of media ethics and a media-related electoral malpractice &mdash; was brought to people's attention by a section of the media. The issue still remains in..." />
     <meta property="og:image" content="" />
      <meta property="fb:app_id" content="0" />
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, user-scalable=no">

       <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="144x144" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple1.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="120x120" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple2.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="72x72" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple3.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple4.png">

    <style>
    .gsc-results-wrapper-overlay{
        top: 38% !important;
        height: 50% !important;
    }
    .gsc-search-button-v2{
        border-color: #035588 !important;
        background-color: #035588 !important;
    }

   .gsib_a{
        height: 30px !important;
          padding: 2px 8px 1px 6px !important;
    }

   
    .gsc-search-button-v2{
        height: 41px !important;
    }
    input.gsc-input{
        background: none !important;
    }
    @media only screen and (max-width: 600px) {
        .gsc-results-wrapper-overlay{
            top: 11% !important;
            width: 87% !important;
            left: 9% !important;
            height: 43% !important;
        }

        .gsc-search-button-v2{
            padding: 10px 10px !important;
        
        }
        .gsc-input-box{
            height: 28px !important;
        }
       /* .gsib_a {
            padding: 0px 9px 4px 9px !important;
        }*/
    }
    @media only screen and (min-width: 1200px) and (max-width: 1920px) {
        table.gsc-search-box{
            width: 15% !important;
            float: right !important;
            margin-top: -118px !important;
        }

        .gsc-search-button-v2 {
            
            padding: 6px !important;
           
        }
    }


</style>

    <script>
        $(function () {
            $("#accordion").accordion({
                event: "click hoverintent"
            });
        });

        /*
         * hoverIntent | Copyright 2011 Brian Cherne
         * http://cherne.net/brian/resources/jquery.hoverIntent.html
         * modified by the jQuery UI team
         */
        $.event.special.hoverintent = {
            setup: function () {
                $(this).bind("mouseover", jQuery.event.special.hoverintent.handler);
            },
            teardown: function () {
                $(this).unbind("mouseover", jQuery.event.special.hoverintent.handler);
            },
            handler: function (event) {
                var currentX, currentY, timeout,
                    args = arguments,
                    target = $(event.target),
                    previousX = event.pageX,
                    previousY = event.pageY;

                function track(event) {
                    currentX = event.pageX;
                    currentY = event.pageY;
                }
                ;

                function clear() {
                    target
                        .unbind("mousemove", track)
                        .unbind("mouseout", clear);
                    clearTimeout(timeout);
                }

                function handler() {
                    var prop,
                        orig = event;
                    if ((Math.abs(previousX - currentX) +
                        Math.abs(previousY - currentY)) < 7) {
                        clear();
                        event = $.Event("hoverintent");
                        for (prop in orig) {
                            if (!(prop in event)) {
                                event[prop] = orig[prop];
                            }
                        }
                        // Prevent accessing the original event since the new event
                        // is fired asynchronously and the old event is no longer
                        // usable (#6028)
                        delete event.originalEvent;
                        target.trigger(event);
                    } else {
                        previousX = currentX;
                        previousY = currentY;
                        timeout = setTimeout(handler, 100);
                    }
                }

                timeout = setTimeout(handler, 100);
                target.bind({
                    mousemove: track,
                    mouseout: clear
                });
            }
        };
    </script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        var _gaq = _gaq || [];
        _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-472075-3']);
        _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

        (function () {
            var ga = document.createElement('script');
            ga.type = 'text/javascript';
            ga.async = true;
            ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
            var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
            s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
        })();
    </script>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/custom.css?v=1.16"/>    <script src="/js/jquery.ui.totop.js?1575549704"></script>    <script src="/js/setting.js?1575549704"></script>    <link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.json">
    <meta name="theme-color" content="#616163" />
    <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes">
    <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-status-bar-style" content="black">
    <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-title" content="im4change">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/icons/logo-192x192.png">
</head>
<body id="top" class="home inner blog">
<div class="background-cover"></div>
<div class="wrapper animated">
    <header id="theme-header" class="header_inner" style="position: relative;">
        <div class="logo inner_logo" style="left:20px !important">
                <a title="Home" href="https://im4change.in/">
                    <img src="https://im4change.in/images/logo2.jpg?1582080632" class="logo_image" alt="im4change"/>                </a>
        </div>
        <div class="langhindi" style="color: #000;display:none;"
             href="https://im4change.in/">
            <a class="more-link" href="https://im4change.in/">Home</a>
                        <a href="https://im4change.in/hindi/" class="langbutton ">हिन्दी</a>
                    </div>
        <nav class="fade-in animated2" id="main-nav">
            <div class="container">
                <div class="main-menu">
    <ul class="menu" id="menu-main">
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children"
            style="left: -40px;"><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/">Home</a>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item mega-menu menu-item-type-taxonomy mega-menu menu-item-object-category mega-menu menu-item-has-children parent-list"
            style=" margin-left: -40px;"><a href="#">KNOWLEDGE GATEWAY <span class="sub-indicator"></span>
            </a>
            <div class="mega-menu-block background_menu" style="padding-top:25px;">
                <div class="container">
                    <div class="mega-menu-content">
                                                                   <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Farm Crisis</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/farmers039-suicides-14.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Farm Suicides                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/unemployment-30.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Unemployment                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/rural-distress-70.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Rural distress                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/migration-34.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Migration                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/key-facts-72.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Key Facts                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/debt-trap-15.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Debt Trap                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Empowerment</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/union-budget-73.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Union Budget And Other Economic Policies                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/forest-and-tribal-rights-61.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Forest and Tribal Rights                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-education-60.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Education                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-food-59.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Food                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/displacement-3279.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Displacement                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-work-mg-nrega-39.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Work (MG-NREGA)                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/gender-3280.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">GENDER                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-information-58.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Right to Information                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/social-audit-48.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Social Audit                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Hunger / HDI</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/poverty-and-inequality-20499.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Poverty and inequality                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/malnutrition-41.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Malnutrition                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/public-health-51.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Public Health                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/education-50.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Education                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/hunger-overview-40.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Hunger Overview                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/hdi-overview-45.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">HDI Overview                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/pds-ration-food-security-42.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">PDS/ Ration/ Food Security                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/sdgs-113.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">SDGs                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/mid-day-meal-scheme-mdms-53.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS)                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Environment</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/time-bomb-ticking-52.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Time Bomb Ticking                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/water-and-sanitation-55.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Water and Sanitation                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/impact-on-agriculture-54.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Impact on Agriculture                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        <div class="mega-menu-item">
                                                 <h3><b>Law & Justice</b></h3>
                                                                                                    <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/social-justice-20500.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Social Justice                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/access-to-justice-47.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Access to Justice                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/human-rights-56.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Human Rights                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/corruption-35.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Corruption                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/general-insecurity-46.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">General Insecurity                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                        <p style="padding-left:5px;">
                                                    <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/disaster-relief-49.html"
                                                       class="left postionrel">Disaster &amp; Relief                                                       </a>
                                                </p>
                                                                                                
                                              </div> 
                                            
                                                                                        
                    </div>
                </div>
            </div>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page "><a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/nceus_reports.php">NCEUS reports</a>
            
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children parent-list ">
            <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html">About Us <span
                    class="sub-indicator"></span></a>
            <ul class="sub-menu aboutmenu">
                <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page"><a
                        target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/objectives-8.html">Objectives</a>
                </li>
                <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page"><a
                         target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/contactus.php">Contact
                        Us</a></li>
                <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-post_type  menu-item-object-page"><a
                         target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html">About
                        Us</a></li>
            </ul>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children ">
            <a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/fellowships.php" title="Fellowships">Fellowships</a>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children  "><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/media-workshops.php">Workshops</a>
        </li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children  "><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/research.php">Research</a></li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children   "><a
                 target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/links-64">Partners</a></li>
        <li class="menu-item  menu-item-type-custom  menu-item-object-custom  menu-item-has-children"
            id="menu-item-539"><a  target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hindi/"
                                  class="langbutton langlinkfont17">हिन्दी</a></li>
    </ul>
</div>            </div>


                        <!--  <div style="float: right;">
                            <script async src="https://cse.google.com/cse.js?cx=18b4f2e0f11bed3dd"></script>
                            <div class="gcse-search"></div>
                        </div> -->
                       
            <div class="search-block" style=" margin-left: 8px; margin-right: 7px;">
                <form method="get" id="searchform" name="searchform"
                      action="https://im4change.in/search"
                      onsubmit="return searchvalidate();">
                    <button class="search-button" type="submit" value="Search"></button>
                    <input type="text" id="s" name="qryStr" value=""
                           onfocus="if (this.value == 'Search...') {this.value = '';}"
                           onblur="if (this.value == '') {this.value = 'Search...';}">
                </form>
            </div>
        </nav>
    </header>
    <div class="container">
        <div id="main-content" class=" main1 container fade-in animated3 sidebar-narrow-left">
            <div class="content-wrap">
                <div class="content" style="width: 900px;min-height: 500px;">
                    <section class="cat-box recent-box innerCatRecent">
    <h1 class="cat-box-title">Ending ‘paid news’: it’s time to act by S Viswanathan</h1>
    <a href="JavaScript:void(0);" onclick="return shareArticle(3543);">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/email.png?1582080630" border="0" width="24" align="right" alt="Share this article"/>    </a>

    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/ending-paid-news-its-time-to-act-by-s-viswanathan-3632/print"
       rel="nofollow">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/icon-print.png?1582080630" border="0" width="24" align="right" alt="Share this article"/>
    </a>
</section>
<section class="recent-box innerCatRecent">
    <small class="pb-1"><span class="dateIcn">
    	<img src="https://im4change.in/images/published.svg?1582080666" alt="published"/> 
		 Published on</span><span class="text-date"> Oct 5, 2010</span>
        &nbsp; <span
                class="dateIcn">
		 	<img src="https://im4change.in/images/modified.svg?1582080666" alt="modified"/>    	 Modified on </span><span class="text-date"> Oct 5, 2010</span>
    </small>
</section>
<div class="clear"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 10px;">
    <div class="innerLineHeight">
        <div class="middleContent innerInput latest-news-updates">
            <table>
                <tr>
                    <td>
                                                <div>
                            <font ><br /></font><div align="justify"><br /><font >It's been nearly a year since the &lsquo;paid news' syndrome &mdash; an appalling industry-wide violation of media ethics and a media-related electoral malpractice &mdash; was brought to people's attention by a section of the media. The issue still remains in the public domain, drawing critical comment and protest every now and then. The large-scale practice of paid news, particularly during the run-up to elections, has the potential of misleading the electorate in judging the relative merits and demerits of the contestants and, as a consequence, influencing the verdict by corrupt and underhand means.</font><br /><br /><font >The report of a sub-committee formed by the Press Council of India (PCI), which enquired into the scandal in some depth, is awaiting clearance. PCI Chairman G.N. Ray, a retired Supreme Court Judge, hints at some bottlenecks in legislating on the subject. He attributes the emergence of paid news to the corporatisation and monopolisation of the media. With Assembly elections fast approaching in several States, the need for no-nonsense action on the report in order to ensure free and fair elections is urgently felt.</font><br /><br /><font >Justice Ray has offered no clue as to when the report will be made public. He has, however, denied the charge that PCI has suppressed the findings of the sub-committee. He has claimed that the sub-committee's report is not that of the PCI and that the decision not to incorporate the full report in the final recommendations (for &lsquo;want of clinching evidence') was made by the drafting committee's majority. However a member of the PCI, K. Kesava Rao, who is also a member of the Congress Working Committee, has said that though the Supreme Court, Parliament, jurists, writers, and eminent persons have come out in support of action against paid news, &ldquo;we are yet to come to a compromise on how to handle it.&rdquo;</font><br /><font ></font></div><div align="justify">&nbsp;</div><div align="justify"><em><font >A paradigm shift</font><br /></em><br /><font >In a hard-hitting speech at a recent Coimbatore seminar, Justice Ray accused the media of losing focus during the last few decades. In fact, he saw a paradigm shift in the functioning of the media at the cost of values that it had been following all along. Describing the media as a valiant partner in democracy that ought to guide civil society, political parties, and the state on the path of good and responsible governance, the PCI chief has registered angst over the media sidelining this mission, with professional commitment undermined by hyper-commercialism. The PCI chairman also cited recent concerns expressed by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) over the &lsquo;private treaties' entered into by some media houses with corporate bodies. In consequence, the Press Council had issued guidelines for the media on the subject.</font><br /><br /><font >The private treaties system has been characterised as a (business arena) counterpart of, and a precursor to, the paid news phenomenon (in the political sphere), even if the same actors might not be involved in the two cases. In a letter to the PCI Chairman, SEBI stated that private treaties might lead to commercialisation of news reports since they would be based on the subscription and advertising agreement entered into between the media group and the company. Any biased or imbalanced reporting may lead to inaccurate perceptions of the companies, which are the beneficiaries of such private treaties. Media houses entered into private treaties with companies that were listed or were coming out with public offers &ldquo;for a stake in the company and in return providing media coverage through advertisements, news reports, editorials, etc.&rdquo; (&ldquo;Private Treaties harm fair, unbiased news: SEBI, report in The Hindu, June 19, 2010.) SEBI rightly intervened to protect the interests of other stakeholders, companies and investors in this exercise, by ensuring that the corporate bodies as well as the media groups that have deals with them to be transparent in their operations by declaring their relevant, mutual financial commitments at their websites.</font><br /><font ></font></div><div align="justify">&nbsp;</div><div align="justify"><em><font >A noteworthy difference</font><br /></em><br /><font >One significant difference of course is that neither SEBI nor the PCI has demanded a ban on the private treaty system while virtually everyone &mdash; from the President of India and the Vice President to political leaders across the spectrum and social activists &mdash; has publicly condemned the paid news racket and demanded an end to it. The Editors Guild of India has recorded its commitment to keep the media as much as the electoral system corruption-free. It has even promised to make the war on paid news its &lsquo;one point' programme in the coming year. The PCI Chairman and working journalists associations and federations have all extended their support to efforts to end the menace. Several newspapers and their readers have also taken the right stand on the issue.</font><br /><br /><font >But paradoxically, no tough and effective measures have been proposed, let alone set in motion, by the Press Council or the Election Commission of India to stamp out the paid news racket.</font><br /><br /><font >To be fair to the ECI, it has expressed its opposition to the reprehensible practice in no uncertain terms. It has, not surprisingly, rejected the PCI proposal to depute journalists/senior citizens as observers during elections. The constitutionally sanctioned Commission did not agree with the PCI's contention that its recommendations on paid news were binding on the Commission. The reason was that the Election Commission would have to work within the constitutional provisions, the relevant Acts, and electoral laws. Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi explained, in a letter to Justice Ray, that while the EC &ldquo;is doing its best in the matter and assures further cooperation, you would appreciate that the Council has to facilitate more of self-regulation by media and also develop and share with the EC a more exact prescription to adjudge paid news.&rdquo; The Commission, however, said that it would take &ldquo;due cognisance of the recommendations of the PCI in alleged incidents of paid news.&rdquo;</font><br /><font ></font></div><div align="justify">&nbsp;</div><div align="justify"><em><font >Break the nexus</font><br /></em><br /><font >If in spite of huge support across society and across the polity nothing much seems to have been done about ending the menace of paid news, the reasons need to be seen in the mindset of the vested interests &mdash; the media beneficiaries of the racket and the political players in the electoral field who place a high value on propagandistic support in India's burgeoning mass media. This nexus needs to be broken. At the same time, it must be realised that government intervention is likely to do more harm than good in respect of media functioning. Pushing for effective self-regulation and publicly shaming the corrupt elements is the way to go &mdash; without losing more time. </font><br /><br /></div>                                                           
                        </div>
                    </td>
                </tr>
            </table>
        </div>
    </div>
</div>
<div class="clear"></div>
    <br><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/Readers-Editor/article811471.ece" class="re" target="_blank">The Hindu, 4 October, 2010, http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/Readers-Editor/article811471.ece</a><div class="clear"></div>
    <div style="padding-top: 18px;">
        <p class="post-tag">Tagged with:
                            <a class="tagcloud5"
                   href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=media"
                   title="media">
                    media                </a>
                        </p>
    </div>
<div class="clear"></div>
    <br><br>
    <div class="widget-top">
        <h4>Related Articles</h4>
        <div class="stripe-line"></div>
    </div>
    <div class="widget-container">
        <ul id="recentcomments">
                            <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/new-consumption-survey-to-track-online-expenses-in-bid-to-capture-real-economic-picture-ishaan-gera.html"
                       title="New consumption survey to track online expenses in bid to capture real economic picture - Ishaan Gera">
                        New consumption survey to track online expenses in bid to capture real economic picture - Ishaan Gera                    </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/potential-model-sevanti-ninan.html"
                       title="Potential model -Sevanti Ninan ">
                        Potential model -Sevanti Ninan                     </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/death-of-the-cartoon-paromita-sen.html"
                       title="Death of the Cartoon -Paromita Sen ">
                        Death of the Cartoon -Paromita Sen                     </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/define-anti-national-attitude-parliamentary-panel.html"
                       title="Define ‘anti-national attitude’: Parliamentary panel ">
                        Define ‘anti-national attitude’: Parliamentary panel                     </a>
                </li>
                                <li class="recentcomments">
                    <a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/farmers-win-on-many-fronts-media-fails-on-all-p-sainath.html"
                       title="Farmers Win on Many Fronts, Media Fails on All -P Sainath">
                        Farmers Win on Many Fronts, Media Fails on All -P Sainath                    </a>
                </li>
                
        </ul>
    </div>
    <div class="comment-respond" id="respond">
    <a name="commentbox">&nbsp;</a>
    <h3 class="comment-reply-title" id="reply-title">Write Comments</h3>
    <form method="post" accept-charset="utf-8" role="form" action="/latest-news-updates/ending-paid-news-its-time-to-act-by-s-viswanathan-3632.html"><div style="display:none;"><input type="hidden" name="_method" value="POST"/></div>    <form class="comment-form" id="commentform" method="post" action="#commentbox" onSubmit="return validate()"
          name="cmtform">
        <input type="hidden" name="cmttype" value="articlecmt"/>
        <input type="hidden" name="article_id" value="3543"/>
        <p class="comment-notes">Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked <span
                    class="required">*</span></p>
                <p class="comment-form-author">
            <label for="commenterName">Name</label>
            <span class="required">*</span>
            <input type="text" aria-required="true" size="30"
                   value=""
                   name="commenterName" id="commenterName" required="true">
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-email">
            <label for="commenterEmail">Email</label> <span class="required">*</span>
            <input aria-required="true" size="30" name="commenterEmail" id="commenterEmail" type="email"
                   value=""
                   required="true">
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-contact">
            <label for="commenterPh">Contact No.</label>
            <input type="text" size="30"
                   value=""
                   name="commenterPh" id="commenterPh">
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-comment">
            <label for="comment">Comment</label>
            <textarea aria-required="true" required="true" rows="8" cols="45" name="comment"
                      id="comment"></textarea>
        </p>
        <p class="comment-form-comment">
            <label for="comment">Type the characters you see in the image below <span class="required">*</span><br><img
                        class="captchaImg"
                        src="https://im4change.in/securimage_show_art.php?tk=1380445985" alt="captcha"/>
            </label>
        </p>
        <input type="text" name="vrcode" required="true"/>

        <p class="form-submit" style="width: 200px;">
            <input type="submit" value="Post Comment" id="submit" name="submit">
        </p></form>
</div>
<style>
    .ui-widget-content {
        height: auto !important;
    }
</style>
<div id="share-modal"></div>
<style>
    .middleContent a{
        background-color: rgba(108,172,228,.2);
    }
    .middleContent a:hover{
        background-color: #418fde;
        border-color: #418fde;
        color: #000;
        }
</style>
<script>
    function shareArticle(article_id) {
        var options = {
            modal: true,
            height: 'auto',
            width: 600 + 'px'
        };
        $('#share-modal').html("");
        $('#share-modal').load('https://im4change.in/share_article?article_id=' + article_id).dialog(options).dialog('open');
    }

    function postShare() {
        var param = 'article_id=' + $("#article_id").val();
        param = param + '&y_name=' + $("#y_name").val();
        param = param + '&y_email=' + $("#y_email").val();
        param = param + '&f_name=' + $("#f_name").val();
        param = param + '&f_email=' + $("#f_email").val();
        param = param + '&y_msg=' + $("#y_msg").val();

        $.ajax({
            type: "POST",
            url: 'https://im4change.in/post_share_article',
            data: param,
            success: function (response) {
                $('#share-modal').html("Thank You, Your message posted to ");
            }
        });
        return false;
    }
</script>                </div>
            </div>
            <!-- Right Side Section Start -->
<!-- MAP Section START -->
<aside class="sidebar indexMarg">
    <div class="ad-cell">
        <a href="https://im4change.in/statemap.php" title="">
            <img src="https://im4change.in/images/map_new_version.png?1582080666" alt="India State Map" class="indiamap" width="232" height="252"/>        </a>
        <div class="rightmapbox">
            <div id="sideOne" class="docltitle"><a href="https://im4change.in/state-report/india/36" target="_blank">DOCUMENTS/
                    REPORTS</a></div>
            <div id="sideTwo" class="statetitle"><a href="https://im4change.in/states.php"target="_blank">STATE DATA/
                    HDRs.</a></div>
        </div>
        <div class="widget widgePadTop"></div>
    </div>
</aside>
<!-- MAP Section END -->
<aside class="sidebar sidePadbottom">
    <div class="rightsmlbox1" >
        <a href="https://im4change.in/knowledge_gateway" target="_blank" style="color: #035588;
    font-size: 17px;">
            KNOWLEDGE GATEWAY
        </a>
    </div>
    <div class="rightsmlbox1">

        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
                <a href="https://im4change.in/newsletter" target="_blank">
                    NEWSLETTER
                </a>
            </p>
        </div>
    </div>
        <div class="rightsmlbox1" style="height: 325px;">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
                Interview with Prof. Ravi Srivastava
            </p>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/interview-with-prof-ravi-srivastava-on-current-economic-crisis">
                <img width="250" height="200" src="/images/interview_video_home.jpg" alt="Interview with Prof. Ravi Srivastava"/>
                </a>
                <!--
                <iframe width="250" height="200" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MmaTlntk-wc" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>-->
               
            </p>
            <a href="https://im4change.in/videogallery" class="more-link CatArchalAnch1" target="_blank">
                                More videos
                            </a>
        </div>
    </div>
    
        <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <!--div id="sstory" class="rightboxicons"></div--->
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a href="https://im4change.in/list-success-stories"  target="_blank">Success Stories</a></p>
        </div>
    </div>
    <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a
                        href="https://im4change.in/interviews"  target="_blank">Interviews</a>
            </p>
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a href="https://www.commoncause.in/page.php?id=10" >Donate</a></p>
        </div>
    </div>
    <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <div>
            <p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a
        href="https://im4change.in/marquee"
        class="isf_link more-link" title="India Focus?" style="border: 4px solid #fdd922;width: 90%;background-color: #fdd922;text-align: center;color: #000000;font-size:18px"  target="_blank">India Focus</a></p>        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="rightsmlbox1" style="height: 104px !important;">
        <a href="https://im4change.in/quarterly_reports.php" target="_blank">
            Quarterly Reports on Effect of Economic Slowdown on Employment in India (2008 - 2015)
        </a>
    </div>
    
<!--     <div class="rightsmlbox1">
        <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.im4.im4change" target="_blank">
            
        </a></div> -->
    <!-- <section class="cat-box recent-box secMarg">
        <h2 class="cat-box-title">Most Visited</h2>
    </section> -->
    <!-- accordion Starts here -->
    <!-- <div id="accordion" class="accordMarg">
            </div> -->
    <!-- accordion ends here -->
    <!-- Widget Tag Cloud Starts here -->
    <div id="tag_cloud-2" class="widget widget_tag_cloud">
        <section class="cat-box recent-box secMarg">
                <h2 class="cat-box-title">MOST VISITED TAGS</h2>
            </section>
        <div class="widget-top wiPdTp">
           
            <div class="stripe-line"></div>
        </div>
        <div class="widget-container">
            <div class="tagcloud">
                                    <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Agriculture"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Agriculture</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Food Security"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Food Security</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Law and Justice"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Law and Justice</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Health"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Health</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Right to Food"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Right to Food</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Corruption"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Corruption</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=farming"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">farming</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Environment"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Environment</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Right to Information"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Right to Information</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=NREGS"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">NREGS</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Human Rights"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Human Rights</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Governance"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Governance</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PDS"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PDS</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=COVID-19"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">COVID-19</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Land Acquisition"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Land Acquisition</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=mgnrega"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">mgnrega</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Farmers"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Farmers</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=transparency"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">transparency</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Gender"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Gender</a>
                                        <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Poverty"
                       target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Poverty</a>
                                    
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Farm Laws" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Farm Laws
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Citizenship Amendment Act" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Citizenship Amendment Act
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=CAA NPR NRIC" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">CAA NPR NRIC
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Job Losses" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Job Losses
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Migrant Workers" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Migrant Workers
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Unemployment" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Unemployment
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PMGKAY" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PMGKAY
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PM-KISAN" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PM-KISAN
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PM-CARES" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PM-CARES
                </a>
                <a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=LFPR" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">LFPR
                </a>
                
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
    <!-- Widget Tag Cloud Ends here -->
</aside>
<!-- Right Side Section End -->
        </div>
        <section class="cat-box cats-review-box footerSec">
    <h2 class="cat-box-title vSec CatArcha">Video
        Archives</h2>
    <h2 class="cat-box-title CatArchaTitle">Archives</h2>
    <div class="cat-box-content">
        <div class="reviews-cat">
            <div class="CatArchaDiv1">
                <div class="CatArchaDiv2">
                    <ul>
                                                    <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/moving-upstream-luni-fellowship.html"  target="_blank">
                                     Moving Upstream: Luni – Fellowship                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/135-million-indians-exited-multidimensional-poverty-as-per-government-figures-is-that-the-same-as-poverty-reduction.html"  target="_blank">
                                     135 Million Indians Exited “Multidimensional" Poverty as per Government...                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/explainer-why-are-tomato-prices-on-fire.html"  target="_blank">
                                     Explainer: Why are Tomato Prices on Fire?                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/nsso-survey-only-39-1-of-all-households-have-drinking-water-within-dwelling-46-7-of-rural-households-use-firewood-for-cooking.html"  target="_blank">
                                     NSSO Survey: Only 39.1% of all Households have Drinking...                                </a>
                            </li>
                                                    <li class="CatArchalLi1">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57"
                               class="more-link CatArchalAnch1"  target="_blank">
                                More...
                            </a>
                        </li>
                    </ul>
                </div>
                                    <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/I51LYnP8BOk/1.jpg"
                             alt=" Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Short-Video-on-im4change-Hindi-website-Inclusive-Media-for-Change"  target="_blank">
                                 Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                                        <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/kNqha-SwfIY/1.jpg"
                             alt=" "Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-1- Scope-of-IDEA-and-AgriStack-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022"  target="_blank">
                                 "Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                                        <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/6kIVjlgZItk/1.jpg"
                             alt=" "Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-2-Farmer-Centric-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022"  target="_blank">
                                 "Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                                        <div class="CatArchaWidth">
                        <img class="CatArchaImg"
                             src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/2BeHTu0y7xc/1.jpg"
                             alt=" "Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...">
                        <p class="CatArchaPPad">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-3-Future-of-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022"  target="_blank">
                                 "Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...                            </a>
                        </p>
                    </div>
                    


                <div class="divWidth">
                    <ul class="divWidthMarg">
                                                    <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Public-Spending-on-Agriculture-in-India-Source-Foundation-for-Agrarian-Studies"
                                   title="Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for Agrarian Studies)"  target="_blank">
                                     Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for...</a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Agrarian-Change-Seminar-Protests-against-the-New-Farm-Laws-in-India-by-Prof-Vikas-Rawal-JNU-Source-Journal-Of-Agrarian-Change"
                                   title="Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws in India' by Prof. Vikas Rawal, JNU (Source: Journal Of Agrarian Change) "  target="_blank">
                                     Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws...</a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/Webinar-Ramrao-The-Story-of-India-Farm-Crisis-Source-Azim-Premji-University"
                                   title="Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis (Source: Azim Premji University)"  target="_blank">
                                     Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis...</a>
                            </li>
                                                        <li>
                                <a href="https://im4change.in/video/water-and-agricultural-transformation-in-India"
                                   title="Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship (Source: IGIDR)"  target="_blank">
                                     Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship...</a>
                            </li>
                                                    <li class="CatArchalLi1">
                            <a href="https://im4change.in/videogallery"
                               class="more-link CatArchalAnch1"  target="_blank">
                                More...
                            </a>
                        </li>
                    </ul>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
</section>    </div>
    <div class="clear"></div>
    <!-- Footer option Starts here -->
    <div class="footer-bottom fade-in animated4">
        <div class="container">
            <div class="social-icons icon_flat">
                <p class="SocialMargTop"> Website Developed by <a target="_blank" title="Web Development"
                                                                  class="wot right"
                                                                  href="http://www.ravinderkhurana.com/" rel="nofollow">
                                                                  RAVINDErkHURANA.com</a></p>
            </div>
            <div class="alignleft">
                <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/objectives-8.html"
    class="link"
    title="Objectives">Objectives</a> | <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html"
    class="link" title="About Us">About Us</a> | <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/media-workshops.php"
    class="ucwords">Workshops</a> | <a
     target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/disclaimer/disclaimer-149.html"
    title="Disclaimer">Disclaimer</a>            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
    <!-- Footer option ends here -->
</div>
<div id="connect">
    <a target="_blank"
       href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/ending-paid-news-its-time-to-act-by-s-viswanathan-3632.html"
       title="Share on Facebook">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/Facebook.png?1582080640" alt="share on Facebook" class="ImgBorder"/>
    </a><br/>
    <a target="_blank"
       href="http://twitter.com/share?text=Im4change&amp;url=https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/ending-paid-news-its-time-to-act-by-s-viswanathan-3632.html"
       title="Share on Twitter">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/twitter.png?1582080632" alt="Twitter" class="ImgBorder"/>    </a>
    <br/>
    <a href="/feeds" title="RSS Feed" target="_blank">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/rss.png?1582080632" alt="RSS" class="ImgBorder"/>
    </a>
    <br/>
    <a class="feedback-link" id="feedbackFormLink" href="#">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/feedback.png?1582080630" alt="Feedback" class="ImgBorder"/>
    </a> <br/>
    <a href="javascript:function iprl5(){var d=document,z=d.createElement('scr'+'ipt'),b=d.body,l=d.location;try{if(!b)throw(0);d.title='(Saving...) '+d.title;z.setAttribute('src',l.protocol+'//www.instapaper.com/j/WKrH3R7ORD5p?u='+encodeURIComponent(l.href)+'&amp;t='+(new Date().getTime()));b.appendChild(z);}catch(e){alert('Please wait until the page has loaded.');}}iprl5();void(0)"
       class="bookmarklet" onclick="return explain_bookmarklet();">
        <img src="https://im4change.in/images/read-it-later.png?1582080632" alt="Read Later" class="ImgBorder"/>    </a>
</div>
<!-- Feedback form Starts here -->
<div id="feedbackForm" class="overlay_form" class="ImgBorder">
    <h2>Contact Form</h2>
    <div id="contactform1">
        <div id="formleft">
            <form id="submitform" action="/contactus.php" method="post">
                <input type="hidden" name="submitform" value="submitform"/>
                <input type="hidden" name="salt_key" value="a0e0f2c6a0644a70e57ad2c96829709a"/>
                <input type="hidden" name="ref" value="feedback"/>
                <fieldset>
                    <label>Name :</label>
                    <input type="text" name="name" class="tbox" required/>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    <label>Email :</label>
                    <input type="text" name="email" class="tbox" required/>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    <label>Message :</label>
                    <textarea rows="5" cols="20" name="message" required></textarea>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    Please enter security code
                    <div class="clear"></div>
                    <input type="text" name="vrcode" class="tbox"/>
                </fieldset>
                <fieldset>
                    <input type="submit" class="button" value="Submit"/>
                    &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="#" id="closefeedbakcformLink">Close</a>
                </fieldset>
            </form>
        </div>
        <div class="clearfix"></div>
    </div>
</div>
<div id="donate_popup" class="modal" style="max-width: 800px;">
    <table width="100%" border="1">
        <tr>
            <td colspan="2" align="center">
                <b>Support im4change</b>
            </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td width="25%" valign="middle">
                <img src="https://im4change.in/images/logo2.jpg?1582080632" alt="" width="100%"/>            </td>
            <td style="padding-left:10px;padding-top:10px;">
                <form action="https://im4change.in/donate" method="get">
                    <table width="100%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
                        <tr>
                            <td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                10
                            </td>
                            <td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                100
                            </td>
                            <td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                1000
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td colspan="3">
                                &nbsp;
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td  style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                50
                            </td>
                            <td  style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                500
                            </td>
                            <td  style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                                <input type="text" name="price" placeholder="?" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td colspan="3">
                                &nbsp;
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                            <td colspan="3" align="right">
                                <input type="button" name="Pay" value="Pay"
                                       style="width: 200px;background-color: rgb(205, 35, 36);color: #ffffff;"/>
                            </td>
                        </tr>
                    </table>
                </form>
            </td>
        </tr>
    </table>
</div><script type='text/javascript'>

    /* <![CDATA[ */

    var tievar = {'go_to': 'Go to...'};

    /* ]]> */

</script>
<script src="/js/tie-scripts.js?1575549704"></script><script src="/js/bootstrap.js?1575549704"></script><script src="/js/jquery.modal.min.js?1578284310"></script><script>
    $(document).ready(function() {
        // tell the autocomplete function to get its data from our php script
        $('#s').autocomplete({
            source: "/autocomplete"
        });
    });
</script>
<script src="/vj-main-sw-register.js" async></script>

<script>function init(){var imgDefer=document.getElementsByTagName('img');for(var i=0;i<imgDefer.length;i++){if(imgDefer[i].getAttribute('data-src')){imgDefer[i].setAttribute('src',imgDefer[i].getAttribute('data-src'))}}}
window.onload=init;</script>
</body>
</html>'

}
$cookies = []
$values = [
	(int) 0 => 'text/html; charset=UTF-8'
]
$name = 'Content-Type'
$first = true
$value = 'text/html; charset=UTF-8'
header - [internal], line ??
Cake\Http\ResponseEmitter::emitHeaders() - CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181
Cake\Http\ResponseEmitter::emit() - CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 55
Cake\Http\Server::emit() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 141
[main] - ROOT/webroot/index.php, line 39

Home हिन्दी

Ending ‘paid news’: it’s time to act by S Viswanathan

Published on Oct 5, 2010   Modified on Oct 5, 2010

It's been nearly a year since the ‘paid news' syndrome — an appalling industry-wide violation of media ethics and a media-related electoral malpractice — was brought to people's attention by a section of the media. The issue still remains in the public domain, drawing critical comment and protest every now and then. The large-scale practice of paid news, particularly during the run-up to elections, has the potential of misleading the electorate in judging the relative merits and demerits of the contestants and, as a consequence, influencing the verdict by corrupt and underhand means. The report of a sub-committee formed by the Press Council of India (PCI), which enquired into the scandal in some depth, is awaiting clearance. PCI Chairman G.N. Ray, a retired Supreme Court Judge, hints at some bottlenecks in legislating on the subject. He attributes the emergence of paid news to the corporatisation and monopolisation of the media. With Assembly elections fast approaching in several States, the need for no-nonsense action on the report in order to ensure free and fair elections is urgently felt. Justice Ray has offered no clue as to when the report will be made public. He has, however, denied the charge that PCI has suppressed the findings of the sub-committee. He has claimed that the sub-committee's report is not that of the PCI and that the decision not to incorporate the full report in the final recommendations (for ‘want of clinching evidence') was made by the drafting committee's majority. However a member of the PCI, K. Kesava Rao, who is also a member of the Congress Working Committee, has said that though the Supreme Court, Parliament, jurists, writers, and eminent persons have come out in support of action against paid news, “we are yet to come to a compromise on how to handle it.”   A paradigm shift In a hard-hitting speech at a recent Coimbatore seminar, Justice Ray accused the media of losing focus during the last few decades. In fact, he saw a paradigm shift in the functioning of the media at the cost of values that it had been following all along. Describing the media as a valiant partner in democracy that ought to guide civil society, political parties, and the state on the path of good and responsible governance, the PCI chief has registered angst over the media sidelining this mission, with professional commitment undermined by hyper-commercialism. The PCI chairman also cited recent concerns expressed by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) over the ‘private treaties' entered into by some media houses with corporate bodies. In consequence, the Press Council had issued guidelines for the media on the subject. The private treaties system has been characterised as a (business arena) counterpart of, and a precursor to, the paid news phenomenon (in the political sphere), even if the same actors might not be involved in the two cases. In a letter to the PCI Chairman, SEBI stated that private treaties might lead to commercialisation of news reports since they would be based on the subscription and advertising agreement entered into between the media group and the company. Any biased or imbalanced reporting may lead to inaccurate perceptions of the companies, which are the beneficiaries of such private treaties. Media houses entered into private treaties with companies that were listed or were coming out with public offers “for a stake in the company and in return providing media coverage through advertisements, news reports, editorials, etc.” (“Private Treaties harm fair, unbiased news: SEBI, report in The Hindu, June 19, 2010.) SEBI rightly intervened to protect the interests of other stakeholders, companies and investors in this exercise, by ensuring that the corporate bodies as well as the media groups that have deals with them to be transparent in their operations by declaring their relevant, mutual financial commitments at their websites.   A noteworthy difference One significant difference of course is that neither SEBI nor the PCI has demanded a ban on the private treaty system while virtually everyone — from the President of India and the Vice President to political leaders across the spectrum and social activists — has publicly condemned the paid news racket and demanded an end to it. The Editors Guild of India has recorded its commitment to keep the media as much as the electoral system corruption-free. It has even promised to make the war on paid news its ‘one point' programme in the coming year. The PCI Chairman and working journalists associations and federations have all extended their support to efforts to end the menace. Several newspapers and their readers have also taken the right stand on the issue. But paradoxically, no tough and effective measures have been proposed, let alone set in motion, by the Press Council or the Election Commission of India to stamp out the paid news racket. To be fair to the ECI, it has expressed its opposition to the reprehensible practice in no uncertain terms. It has, not surprisingly, rejected the PCI proposal to depute journalists/senior citizens as observers during elections. The constitutionally sanctioned Commission did not agree with the PCI's contention that its recommendations on paid news were binding on the Commission. The reason was that the Election Commission would have to work within the constitutional provisions, the relevant Acts, and electoral laws. Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi explained, in a letter to Justice Ray, that while the EC “is doing its best in the matter and assures further cooperation, you would appreciate that the Council has to facilitate more of self-regulation by media and also develop and share with the EC a more exact prescription to adjudge paid news.” The Commission, however, said that it would take “due cognisance of the recommendations of the PCI in alleged incidents of paid news.”   Break the nexus If in spite of huge support across society and across the polity nothing much seems to have been done about ending the menace of paid news, the reasons need to be seen in the mindset of the vested interests — the media beneficiaries of the racket and the political players in the electoral field who place a high value on propagandistic support in India's burgeoning mass media. This nexus needs to be broken. At the same time, it must be realised that government intervention is likely to do more harm than good in respect of media functioning. Pushing for effective self-regulation and publicly shaming the corrupt elements is the way to go — without losing more time.

The Hindu, 4 October, 2010, http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/Readers-Editor/article811471.ece

Tagged with: media

Related Articles

• New consumption survey to track online expenses in bid to capture real economic picture - Ishaan Gera
• Potential model -Sevanti Ninan
• Death of the Cartoon -Paromita Sen
• Define ‘anti-national attitude’: Parliamentary panel
• Farmers Win on Many Fronts, Media Fails on All -P Sainath

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Name *

Email *

Contact No.

Comment

Type the characters you see in the image below *

Video Archives

Archives

• Moving Upstream: Luni – Fellowship
• 135 Million Indians Exited “Multidimensional" Poverty as per Government...
• Explainer: Why are Tomato Prices on Fire?
• NSSO Survey: Only 39.1% of all Households have Drinking...
• More...

Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org...

"Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring...

"Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...

"Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...

• Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for...
• Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws...
• Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis...
• Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship...
• More...

Website Developed by RAVINDErkHURANA.com

Objectives | About Us | Workshops | Disclaimer

Support im4change
	10 100 1000   50 500