Paid news under attack at global PR conclave
MUMBAI, February 14, 2012: Paid news and PR journalists came under severe attack at the day-long global PR and Media conclave that concluded last night in Mumbai.
Veteran journalist and former editor of several top newspapers Mr H K Dua and news television anchor Mr Arnab Goswami who spoke at the 6th global PR and media conclave hosted by the Public Relations Council of India (PRCI), opposed the trend of paid news and said it goes against the principles of journalism.
The theme of the conclave was: PR – Interface or interference?
"Paid news is nothing but propaganda under the garb of journalism," Mr Dua, who delivered the key note address at the conclave said. "Journalists should not work like PR people and PR people should not behave like journalists," he said and pointed put the "Lakshman Reka" (the line that differentiates) between PR and journalism. Both the professionals need to maintain their own levels of credibility, he said.
Mr Goswami was felicitated with Mediaperson of the year award for being the game changer in TV journalism and for his forthright approach to breaking news and coverage of various events that shook the nation. He said journalists should be upright and be not afraid calling spade a spade. They should not buckle under any pressure from any quarter.
Maharashtra DGP Mr K Subramaniam, who was the chief guest stressed the role of communicators in social security. Media in particular he said has a great role to play in making people aware about the law and putting right before the wrong.
Mrs Rajashree Birla, chairperson, the Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development, said every corporate and even PR professional should spend some time and efforts on community development and reaching out to the underprivileged. Mrs Birla received the Corporate Citizen of the Year Award on behalf of the Aditya Birla group.
Former Pakistan Law Minister and human rights activist Mr Iqbal Haider, who was a surprise guest at the conclave, said PR and media professionals have a big role to play in bringing the people of India and Pakistan closer to ensure lasting peace in the region. In fact, he said he would be keen to play a role in hosting a communicators' conclave in Pakistan.
Veteran journalists like Ayaz Memon and Kumar Ketkar who spoke on panel discussions said public relations has its own role an interface between corporate and media and as facilitators of communication.
Regards
bnk
Excellent. I am very happy that this matter was discussed and brought to the attention of The Hindu, a newspaper that I read even in Sydney every single day. It is good that The Hindu too has agreed to move in the matter. Ethics in media is a very serious issue not only in India but in the entire Asia Pacific world. Sad but very true.Regards,
BishBish Mukherjee ABCSydney: 61-438290348
To: prpoint@yahoogroups.com
From: prpoint@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2013 11:37:32 +0530
Subject: Re: [prpoint] IIPM misused the Paid Editorial in The Hindu creating controversy
hi allAfter releasing my mail in the prpoint group last night, I got a response from Mr Siddharth Varadarajan, Editor, The Hindu personally. Pl read this.quoteDear Mr Srinivasan,The IIPM write up was part of a section clearly labelled Advertisers Feature, typeset in a different font and typeface.That said, I agree that we need to have an even clearer system of demarcation so that there is no danger of readers being misled by any advertiser's feature. Such a system will soon be put in place.Thank you very much for your concerns as a reader.regardsSiddharthUnquoteI appreciate the Editor of The Hindu for having accepted gracefully, the views of readers like us with open mind and also exploring new system to avoid such confusions in future.When there is a dilution of values and ethics globally, the organisations like The Hindu naturally find it difficult to manage the competition and to maintain the values. During the Sansad Ratna Award last year, Mr Gopal Krishna Gandhi said that it was easy for anybody to be on fast on 'Ekadasi' day, but would be hard to resist the temptation when others celebrate a festival with feast and to remain on 'fast'. He was using this example to emphasis on the difficulties of modern day politicians to remain clean, without falling prey to temptations in the changed atmosphere.The same logic also applies to the media houses like The Hindu. Millions of readers even today look at The Hindu for credibility of information and news. Naturally, the responsibility of the paper goes up to manage the competition without compromising on the values, built by them over a century.I am confident that with millions of dedicated readers solidly behind them, The Hindu can manage the new challenges.In view of the clarification received from The Editor, The Hindu, we can close the discussion. Thanks for the members who shared the views.SrinivasanModeratorOn Fri, Mar 22, 2013 at 6:03 AM, neelamegham r <neelurnhyd@gmail.com> wrote:
I fully endorse your views expressed and aptly concluding:'As a long standing reader of The Hindu, I am pained by the new policy of focusing on revenue compromising the values and ethics. I wish and pray that The Hindu should regain its earlier glory.'As a long time advertising/communication professional I recall several instances during my career of strict disciplines maintained by the Hindu, to keep a distance between 'Editorial' and 'Advtg.' . Today's strains of running a newspaper is perhaps making them give up their long respected principles, to fall in line with such policies of several other national dailies!NeelameghamOn 21 March 2013 23:00, Prime Point Srinivasan <prpoint@gmail.com> wrote:[Attachment(s) from Prime Point Srinivasan included below]hi allToday morning, The Hindu had carried a clarification prominently in the National Page like this.On 2nd Sep 2012, The Hindu had carried an article titled "IIPM - The B School with a human face" in Delhi edition. The scanned copy of the article is attached for information. Now IIPM has started using this article in other promotion materials as if The Hindu has endorsed them.Today The Hindu has published a clarification in their National Page that the original article published by them on 2nd Sep 2012 was an advertisement material and The Hindu had published this materials as provided by IIPM without any editing. They have denied giving endorsement to IIPM.The Hindu paper always carries a high credibility among the readers. From the look of the article, no one can find that the material was an advertisement. The Hindu has also not published any disclaimer that that the material was an advertisement material. Being reader of The Hindu for more than four decades, this is the first time, I am coming across such 'paid editorial', misleading the readers.Definitely, IIPM might have negotiated with The Hindu Advertisement department for such type of publication. I wonder how the Ad department of The Hindu has agreed for publishing such misleading paid editorial, without getting clearance from the Editorial department.Even earlier, our group discussed how The Hindu carried a front page jacket few months back stressing the importance of purchasing jewellery on Akshyathrithi day, at the instance of advertisers. The write up looked as though The Hindu was promoting such cause. When the controversy broke, immediately, the Editor published an apology.As a communication person, I know personally, in the past editorials of The Hindu cannot be influenced by giving advertisements. In the past couple of years, The Hindu is being accused of publishing such advertisement based editorials. A couple of years ago, The Hindu carried the interview of Mr A Raja, then Minister defending his position on 2G scam. At that time, it was alleged that the interview was carried as a reciprocal gesture of the advertisement released by the Telecom Department.In this IIPM case, I feel many students might have joined IIPM or got a positive perception about IIPM, based on The Hindu article, though it was a paid one, due to the credibility of The Hindu. Since it is in article form without any disclaimer, the reader cannot suspect anything.When Mr Ramnath Goenka was the Editor of Indian Express, he imposed a procedure. Whenever reporters visited any industry or enjoyed travel courtesy for an article, the reporters were asked to add a line at the end of the story that the reporter travelled at the expenses of the company, about whom the article was written. That enhanced the credibility to the story. Now they are not following this procedure.The Hindu is a well respected newspaper in India. They have developed credibility over a century by following professional ethics. In spite of all the competitions, The Hindu is able to increase the circulation every year without compromising on values and ethics. That is their USP. It is surprising as to why The Hindu should follow such unethical practises of 'paid editorial' which mislead the readers.Instead of compromising on the values and ethics, built brick by brick by the earlier editors and administrators, the new team should try to encash on the strong foundation laid by them.
As a long standing reader of The Hindu, I am pained by the new policy of focussing on revenue compromising the values and ethics. I wish and pray that The Hindu should regain its earlier glory.
Following professional ethics and values is not a 'shame'; It is a natter of 'pride'.I welcome views.SrinivasanModerator
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