Deal differences

IN Media Watch Briefs | 19/07/2008

The nuclear deal is a sensitive subject for The Hindu. Its chief editor is opposed to it, and senior staff have to toe the editorial line. Siddharth Vardarajan’s article on July 12,saying it wasn’t such a bad deal after all, was countered on July 14 by Prabir Purkayastha, a contributor, who rebutted Vardarajan’s arguments. The latter’s rejoinder was carried on his own blog, not in the paper. But on July 19 the paper’s editor, N Ravi has taken up cudgels on behalf of the Deal, so it gets more interesting.

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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.