Retaliatory blackout

IN Media Watch Briefs | 23/09/2002

Retaliatory blackout

You could call it censorship by a cable network owner. CNBC India says the Hinduja-promoted INCablenet blacked out the channel from its cable bouquet after CNBC carried a report on submissions made by the CBI in a Delhi Court in the Rs 64 crore Bofors case against the indujas. According to the Financial Express, CNBC said its report was based on a wire report. The INCablenet people on the other hand stated that they had taken the action since the channel has not entered into an agreement with them as required under the Cable Act. CNBC said it would be going to the Press Council over this, and has retaliated by ceasing coverage of the commercial activities of the Hinduja group.

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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.