Acknowledgements
The authors of the report would like to thank the following for their generous support and cooperation without which this report would never have been completed:
The Chairman and Secretary of the Press Council of India, Justice G.N. Ray and Smt Vibha Bhargava respectively together with other staffers of the Council, in particular, Shri Pradeep Behl.
Shri K. Sreenivas Reddy would like to thank the following for their support in Hyderabad: Shri K Amarnath, Secretary, Indian Journalists Union, the Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists, its president Shri D. Somasundar and general secretary Shri Y. Narender Reddy and Dr Madabhushi Sridhar, Professor, National Academy of Legal Studies and Research.
Shri Paranjoy Guha Thakurta would like to thank the following for assisting him in transcribing recordings of interviews, collating material, providing background research and assistance in drafting the report: Shri Ayaskant Das (Current), Shri Himanshu Shekhar, Km Anuradha Raman (Outlook), Shri Akshat Kaushal (student of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi) and Shri Ram Bahadur Rai (Pratham Pravakta).
This report is dedicated to the memory of the late Shri Prabhash Joshi who fought fearlessly to curb corruption in the Indian media and uphold the independence of journalists.
(Ends.) Word count (including headings and sub-headings): 36,188
vivek
July 15, 2010 at 9:41 pm
जागरण के मालिकों-मैनेजरों शर्म से डूब मरो…. पढ़ लो क्या लिखा है इस रिपोर्ट में…. निशिकांत ठाकुर ने तो नाक कटा दी है. ये हिस्सा जरूर पढ़ें- ”In a formal letter handed over to the Press Council of India on January 10, 2010, Shri Nishikant Thakur, Chief General Manager, Jagran Prakashan Ltd., claimed that the controversy relating to “paid news” was “nothing but rumours spread by lost candidates in frustration”. Describing the allegations as “frivolous” and “factually” incorrect, Shri Thakur claimed that he “could say with certainty that no editor of a reputed newspaper in the country is distorting news for money”. He added that amount spent on “publicity material” in newspapers is “marginal” in comparison to the total expenses incurred by candidates standing for elections.
Shri Thakur claimed that the ceilings of expenditure laid down by the Election Commission of India were “unrealistic” and “out of tune with reality”. Further, he claimed that attempts by candidates to influence individual reports “in the rush” of election coverage could go “undetected by the editorial board” of the concerned newspaper. He suggests that there should be “state funding” of elections, that the Election Commission of India should “implement appropriate measures” to verify expenses incurred by candidates and also that there should be “inner party democracy” in political parties.
Shri Thakur argues that the right of the citizen to get “un-polluted information” needs to be balanced by “the rights of the media to conduct its business in an economically viable manner which is also guaranteed by the Constitution of India subject to permissible legal restrictions”. He adds that the press has the right to “project (the) good achievements of (a) particular candidate” and concludes with the assertion that what is required are electoral reforms, systemic correction and not merely “limb operation”. ”
Dilip Dugar
July 16, 2010 at 6:52 am
This is a wonderful report by press council.Bhadas has also done great job by publishing this report.
Anuj
July 16, 2010 at 7:47 am
Yashwant jee, Prabhash jee ke nam se bani website http://www.prabhashjoshi.in par kal ye report sarwajanik hui hai, kam se kam iska ullekh to kar dete.
anshu
July 16, 2010 at 7:53 am
पैसे के बदले खबर पर जोशी की मुहिम का नतीजा रहा कि प्रेस काउंसिल की ओर से गठित टीम ने 72 पेज की रपट दी है. जो देश भर की हालत उजागर करती है. लेकिन बड़े मीडिया घरानों के दबाव में दूसरी 12 सदस्यीय टीम बनी जिसने महज आठ पेज में रपट दी है
RAKESH SHARMA, KURUKSHETRA
July 17, 2010 at 9:22 am
YASHWANT JI JHOOTH BOLNE KI BHI EK HADH HOTI HAI. DAINIK JAGRAN NE TO YEH HADH TOD DI HAI. JO LOG NETAON PER ILZAAM LAGA RAHEN HAI WAHI LOG VASOOLI ABHIYAAN KE MUKHIYA THE. COMPANY PER PAID NEWS KA ILZAAM IS LIYE NAHI LAG SAKTA KYOKIN COMPANY KE ACCOUNT MAIN PAISE JAMAA KARANE KI BAJAAY MAALIK CHUPCHAP SAARA MAAL APNE GHAR UDAA LE GAYE. IS VASOOLI KE HUM MAADHYAM RAHEN HAIN, ISLIYE CHORI OR SEENAZORI KI ISS ADAA KO DEKH AB CHUP RAHNA MUSHKIL HAI. AAJ SHAAM TAK IS JHUTH SE PARDAA UDTHANE KE LIYE AAPKE PASS PUKHTA PAMAAN HONGE. LOKSABHA CHUNAAV MAIN FARIDABAD (HARYANA) SE 13 LAKH OR VIDHANSABHA CHUNAAV MAIN 37.75 LAKH RUPYEE PAID NEWS KE TOUR PER VASOOLE GAYE THE. COMPANY KE AACOUNT MAIN YEH PAISE JAMAA NAHIN HAIN.
RAKESH SHARMA, KURUKSHETRA
94677-66607
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