The 47th report of the standing Committee talks tough on paid news as the innocent public fall prey to biased news fed by the mainstream media. But it had nothing substantive to offer

Sucheta Dalal

One issue that gets minimal media coverage in India is that of ‘paid news’. The trading of awards, honours and gushing media coverage in return for fat sponsorship fees and advertisement campaigns is already very brazen, but it does not bother the political establishment at all. However, with general elections around the corner, even politicians are worried about the new round of demands that will be made by media houses for favourable coverage or for orchestrated hit jobs and sting operations. Yet, the 47th report of the standing committee, which looked into the paid news menace, had nothing substantive to offer, other than some seemingly tough talk.

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