Anything for revenue

IN Media Watch Briefs | 22/09/2010

The Times of India came in two sets on September 21, 2010, each with a front page, masthead and all, with a small black box pasted to the second's back page, under the centrefold. When opened to read it belted out an audio advertisement from a chip inside a black box. It piped down the moment the paper was folded. 'The page had had a full page advertisement. And the Daily News and Analysis (DNA) has been sending out bulk text messages directly promoting real estate products, using apparently the mobile numbers of its subscribers. It also sends out messages pointing out stories to be read. Perhaps a DND with mobile operators is in order?

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Media Watch Briefs

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.