Deferential blackout?

IN Media Watch Briefs | 03/05/2015

The Syedna of the Dawoodi Bohras appears in public only on religious/ceremonial occasions, with frenzied followers at a worshipful distance. So when a claimant to the Syedna’s post, Khuzaima Qutbuddin, appeared in court over two consecutive days, and was cross-examined in the witness’ chair, every English newspaper in Mumbai reported it. But not a word appeared in the main Urdu or Gujarati newspapers, or even on Muslim websites such as TwoCircles.net and Ummid.com. Gujarati is the Dawoodi Bohras’ mother-tongue. Wonder if these papers will continue to black out the legal proceedings when the current Syedna Muffadal Saifuddin takes the witness’ chair to argue his claim?

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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.