PMO's pressure

IN Media Watch Briefs | 21/12/2014

Are private radio channels being pressured by the government to air PM Modi's Mann ki Baat radio chat every month? A Hindustan Times report on December 19 says the PMO pressurised the information and broadcasting ministry last month to "pursue privately-owned media to cut back routine programming and broadcast Mann Ki Baat." The report quotes the head of a leading private FM channel as saying that he didn’t agree when the ministry initially requested his station to broadcast the show, but when the ministry requested us a second time, we agreed.”

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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

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