Paid News: Myth or Reality?

The concept of paid news has been a hot controversial topic for the past decade. This practice has seeped into out media houses slowly and steadily, eating away at the basic principles of journalism. Before we get any further, let us understand what paid news is. Paid news can simply be stated as “The act of paying money to representatives of media companies, print or electronic, to gain favourable coverage so as to satisfy an ulterior motive”.

Now the million-dollar question remains: “Is paid news a myth or reality?”. Is it a myth, that has been fabricated to defame the sacred (wink!) media houses, or is it a fact as blatant as that of the sun rising from the east every morning? The concept of paid news has gone beyond the corruption of individual journalists and media houses. The duty of the press, which is to provide accurate information to the public, has been sidelined to make way for money thirsty journalists. By the end of this discussion, it will be proved beyond a shred of reasonable doubt that paid news is indeed a reality that the media houses have brought upon themselves.

 Earlier, it was a general error to think that the practice of paid news is merely confined to the Bollywood sections of the media. It was common knowledge that stars pay the media houses to gain publicity. It happens even today. Stars pay a mighty price to appear on the “Entertainment” section of the publication or news channel. What is pushed under the carpet is the fact that there is yet another class of “professionals” that resort to the phenomenon of paid news as a quick ladder to success. They are none other than our beloved Netas. They have undermined the very idea of free and fair elections, by paying their way into the media to display the kind of portrait they want to put forth to the public. It is a safe and fail-proof means of campaigning before the elections. This method of publicizing ensures the fact that they can show what they want to show the public. Slick!

The right to information has become yet another decoration on the Constitution of our nation. We have reached a state where we are informed of only what the elite class wants us to be informed. The duty of the press, which is to keep us up-to-date of the actual happenings in the nation, is up for grabs. So whom do we trust? What is the guarantee that the next piece of news item will be unbiased and not guided by commercial motivation? Whom do we look up to? Who is responsible for the rectification of this issue?

Oh yes, we have the Press council of India! But oops! That organization is nothing more than a tooth less tiger! All they are authorized to do is send letters to the concerned media houses which can be chucked into the waste bin before even the seal is torn opened.

Another interesting question arising from this issue is that, “Is monetary gain the only vested interest of the media houses in accepting paid news?” Can it not be that the media houses are feeding some underlying motive by indulging in this unscrupulous activity?

Let us take into account the latest greatest event hosted by out nation: the Common Wealth Games. It was a sensation that had gripped the nation like never before, not because it was an international event of a superior caliber, but because the endless juicy controversies that surrounded it. The controversies had been showcased in the last two months, much later than they actually took shape.  It has been reveal that a majority of the news channels, newspapers and magazines blatantly refused to carry anti-CWG stories before July 2010 because of the advertising carrot that CWG was offering to the media houses. The media was warming up to this racket until the CWG fell flat on its face.

Sometime in November last year, Mr Kalmadi received a proposal from a leading English newspaper (with the largest circulation in India) for positive coverage of the CWG. The entire deal was worth 12.19 crore. The newspaper wanted an “Official Newspaper” status.

As a part of its extensive coverage, the newspaper promised special features, seminars, CWG quiz, marathon in major cities and towns, etc. the proposal also subtly stated that the coverage will have “the potential to form public opinions at large”.

And then comes the catch. It says: “It is also expected that with the influence that the “Response” department has over the editorial, the OC can get neutral or positive coverage from now to the games”.

The only question that arises is: “Had Mr Kalmadi agreed to this proposal, would they still have gone ahead with the negative coverage that they did?”.

The Press Council on India submitted a pathetic report on paid news stating that self-regulation within the media houses is the best option to curb this problem. Well, reading the facts mentioned above and the document given bellow, we can figure by ourselves how much of “Self-regulation” had actually taken place or is going to take place. The media is playing the role of the brand ambassador to the politicians, film stars and anyone else, as long as a few “Paties” and “Khokhas” are willing to change hands.

 At any J School students are taught certain Principles that underlay the foundation of journalism. They play the role of guidelines to a journalist. These days though the trend seems to be something like this: “Study the Principles of Journalism at J School, mug them up, puke them into your answer sheets, but if some of it still remains in your system, then chuck it in the first bin you find on your way out of the J School”. Is the future of India media bound in the shackles of Paid News? Let’s wait and watch.

(PS: Bellow is the Proposal that Mr Kalmadi received from the leading news paper regarding the CWG)