All aboard Gatimaan!

IN Media Watch Briefs | 06/04/2016

More than 170 journalists from print, electronic and online media were taken for a joyride on the Gatimaan Express on March 5 for a taste of India’s first semi-high speed train. Arrangements were quickly made as a lot of journos had asked to be taken. Although Indian Railways had reserved two AC chair car coaches for journalists, some of them preferred the executive chair car and had to be obliged. Lunch at Hotel Jaypee Palace, Agra and a guided tour to the Taj were thrown in. And a box of sweets which the Railways perhaps hoped would sweeten the stories filed.

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Amazon resisting voluntary censorship

The new term for self censorship is voluntary censorship, as proposed by companies like Netflix and Hotstar. ET reports that streaming video service Amazon Prime is opposing a move by its peers to adopt a voluntary censorship code in anticipation of the Indian government coming up with its own rules. Amazon is resisting because it fears that it may alienate paying subscribers.

Let the games begin

Clearly, the run to the 2019 elections is on. A journalist received a call from someone saying they were from Aajtak channel and were conducting a survey, asking whom she was going to vote for in 2019. On being told that her vote was secret, the caller assumed she wasn't going to vote for 'Modiji'. The caller, a woman, also didn't identify herself. A month or two earlier the same journalist received a call, this time from a man, asking if she was going to vote for the BSP.