Height of speculation

IN Media Watch Briefs | 03/09/2017

What is media speculation worth in a situation where two individuals hold the cards close to their chests? Pretty little, it turns out. Media patter turned creative in the long period that no hard news on portfolios was forthcoming. First the commentators in NDTV's studio (as in a couple of other studios as well) decided that Defence could go to Sushma Swaraj. They they got enthused about it and speculated about how she would do the same mothering act for soldiers that she had done for NRIs. Then it went to Nirmala Sitharaman. Several channels elaborated on how Nitin Gadkari might get railways to bring all transport related ministries under one minister. But the portfolio went to Piyush Goyal.

TAGS

Sushma Swaraj NDTV Cabinet reshuffle Nirmala Sitharaman

Subscribe To The Newsletter

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.