Fair science reporting?

IN Media Watch Briefs | 05/06/2012

The science and technology page of The Hindu on May 30 had two big stories on the top. one discusses if “Probiotics can reduce occurrence of diarrhea” and the other asks “Is curd a probiotic?”  The tone and tenor of the both the pieces is to project claimed benefits of probiotics (Yakult) and discount the significance of home made dahi. The writer cited a study in support of benefits of probiotics. He also cited one in favour of dahi  but that was discounted byt he person he was interviewing. He did not  mention studies about the side-effects of probiotics like Yakult. Yes,the fact that he went to Japan at the invitation of Yakult is mentioned.

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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.                   

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.                 

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