Blurring lines

IN Media Watch Briefs | 01/03/2014

The lines between marketing and editorial are getting so faint you can barely see them. Looking very much part of a news line-up was a feature on Speedstar 2 for promoting sports among the Indian youth on Times Now. Although the words ‘sponsored feature’ appeared briefly in a miniscule font and for a nano-second in the corner, as did a ‘Kooh Initiative’ in the scroll, the story was projected as a regular news story rather than an advertisement.

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Blurring lines

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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.