Fool the media

IN Media Watch Briefs | 21/03/2015

Ujwal Nikam, a special prosecutor with many convictions including Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab's, told ToI this week that he had feared "an emotional atmosphere" in the undertrial's support outside the court and decided to "fool" the media. Because, when Kasab bent his head and wiped his tears, the media went agog about him remembering his sister. So Nikam floated a story -- the terrorist wanted biryani and the tide turned. He was worried when some had "questioned" if Kasab was a terrorist at all.

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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.