More than 900 participants from 87 countries are currently participating in the 62nd World Newspaper Congress of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) in Hyderabad. However, the breaking news, brought to light by noted journalist P Sainath in The Hindu is of a few dailies in Maharashtra eulogizing the achievements of the Chief Minster of the state during the election time. In all three rival dailies the same report appears, with different bylines. Moreover, none of the newspapers mention of the word advertisement or sponsored feature next to the item, just goes to show how low journalistic ethics have stooped in India.

While the coverage of the ‘achievements’ were not ‘advertisements’ as it was not mentioned and the accounts of election expenditures do not reflect any spending on ads, it might be worth mentioning that had these been ads, the bill for the same would have run into few crores, given the profile of the newspapers in which these appeared, drastically exceeding the election expenditure limit. The issue is that of illegal cash transactions and tax evasion worth crores of rupees- and both media outlets and politicians are guilty of not just of financial wrongdoing but connivance to subvert professional ethics and undermine democratic processes and principles.

Unfortunately, the trend is not limited to Maharasthra, it is a national phenomenon. Governments patronize newspapers by giving Government advertisements in the newspapers have become so common and a regular source of revenue for the local forth estate that often feels obliged to give maximum (and usually favourable) coverage to the party during the elections. Also, with many television channels and newspapers being owned by members of the political parties, it is difficult to differentiate between ‘news’ and ‘views’, between real ‘achievements’ and ‘advertisements’ and between ‘criticism’ and ‘propaganda’.
Is the forth estate, often hailed as the watchdog for the society is blatantly conniving with those in power to influence public opinion? Is this a new revenue model? Or as Sainath asks- Is ‘paid news’ getting institutionalized?

It is important that the Election Commission of India (ECI) takes note of the practice and takes immediate action to counter it. Similarly, the Press Council of India should also take some bold decisions to discourage the misuse of media and setting self-regulatory mechanisms to curb the menace.

The print-media has been the torch-bearer and custodian of public opinion and this responsibility. India has always taken pride in the freedom that media exercises. However, with such alliances, the integrity of the press is under scrutiny? Will the media please take it as a wake up call?

What kind of regulatory mechanisms should be put in place to reduce political influences on press?