Times of Ads?

IN Media Watch Briefs | 17/01/2012

The next time you read an article in the newspaper, how sure are you that it's news--and not an advertisement? The line between news and ads was blurred--almost erased, in fact---by TOI (dated 15-01-2012) and ET (16-01-2012). Both papers recently frontpaged an article on Functional Manual Therapy (FMT), which was actually very advertorial in nature. TOI used a font similar to that used in news reports, and made no clear demarcation. TOI also mentioned that FMT is an initiative of the Times group in collaboration with The Institute of Physical Art quite early, although the ET did it much later in the report. But does a media house initiative with commercial interests deserve editorial space?

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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.