Ever wondered what happens when the watchdog itself becomes suspect and needs to be ‘watched’? When the Fourth Estate, which is supposed to serve as a bulwark against corruption, is itself corrupt. This is what is happening in some sections of the Indian media now, thanks to the rampant phenomenon called ‘paid news’.
Paid news is a major threat to Indian democracy today. Apparently some journalists are reporting stories for money; some newspaper managements are passing off advertisements as news. The line between editorial and advertorial is rapidly blurring
There have also been reports of some newspapers publishing political advertisements as news reports. In the worst form of corruption, some newspapers present a rate card to the political candidates, who pay for positive coverage of themselves or negative coverage of their opponents. This can surely lead to unfair election results and declining trust in the media. The paid news phenomenon, we are told, is not just restricted to election packages. Film, sports, and private treaties are also a part of the package.
The practice of private treaties was pioneered by the publishers of the Times of India which began taking stakes in companies from 2005 in exchange for advertising space in its medium. A ‘paid content’ service called Medianet was started which, for a price, openly offers to send journalists to cover product launches or personality-related events.
The Press Council of India (PCI) had set up a committee comprising noted journalists Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and K. Sreenivas Reddy to examine the paid news scandal. They came out with a report which, to quote Thakurta, “named and shamed the perpetrators of paid news”. But the report never saw the light of the day as some council members argued that it would destroy the publishers’ credibility and hurt public interest.
The issue must be used as an opportunity to restore falling credibility. Regulations, with supporting and enforcing laws, should insist on disclosing norms and practices of publications. Powers should be given to the PCI and amendments should be made in the Representation of the People Act to include paid news within the ambit of electoral malpractices.
The Press is acclaimed as the fourth important pillar of democracy after the Legislative, the Executive and the Judiciary. Journalists are looked upon as moral guides. Sadly, in a U.S. survey conducted by Reader’s Digest this year, journalists were ranked 30 out of 40 on a list of trusted professions, after barbers and bus drivers. Clearly, the media has to win back the people’s trust.
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