Effective distancing

IN Media Watch Briefs | 23/12/2010

In these era of 'paid news' what The Economist does with advertisements which look like editorial content is instructive. In its December 18-21, 2010 edition it had a six page section on Macau which it it tagged as advertisement but also entered a caveat, in capital letters: This supplement has been produced by QCP. It does not involve any reporting or editing by staff of The Economist. No endorsement is implied." QCP is apparently a content provider of the client. Indian publishers and editors - please take note.

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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.