Journalism without self censorship?

IN Media Watch Briefs | 08/10/2017

When The Wire published this story on the "Golden touch of Jay Amit Shah" on Sunday its website crashed at the surge of traffic and then came back up. The story has been reported by former ET journalist Rohini Singh who, Wire founding editor M K Venu says, has joined them "to be able to pursue normal journalism with The Wire." The story is based on documents obtained from the registrar of companies, not clear why the huge phalanx of business media in this country including four dailies and three business channels did not do this earlier. Lastly queries sent to Jay, son of Amit Shah before publication elicited a response  warning that criminal and civil defamation proceedings would be launched in the event of “any slant or imputation which alleges or suggests any impropriety on his part.”                               

Subscribe To The Newsletter
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.                 

View More