A significant outcome of the 2009 general elections has been the “outing” of the corruption in the Indian news media. What was earlier, usually, seen as an individual transgression has grown and morphed into an institutional malaise with long-term implications for our democracy which the aam admi is still to recognise.
Most cases of corruption in the media have so far involved the state of Andhra Pradesh.
Enter, Karnataka.
M.V. Rajeev Gowda, son of former assembly speaker M.V. Venkatappa and a Wharton PhD who teaches at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, writes of the “perversion of the media’s role in a democracy” while campaigning for a friend (presumably a Congressman) during the recent polls.
“Instead of being a neutral, dispassionate observer of what’s going on, media houses milked the election to make big bucks. Representatives of media houses approached candidates promising them coverage in exchange for money.
“Of course, I advised my friend not to succumb because I was confident that we could get substantial coverage just by coming out with different media-oriented events and activities. And we did manage to do that. For free!
“But overall, other candidates jumped on the opportunity to get coverage. And there lies the problem. If coverage just involved reporting on the candidate’s vision, track record and activities, it wouldn’t be that much of an issue. It becomes a challenge when readers cannot differentiate between unbiased reportage and paid advertorials.
“This time, the difference between the two was very difficult to discern. One had to carefully look for “Special Feature” or some other tell-tale sign, which is generally not prominent enough for readers to separate fact and opinion from mercenary fiction.
“I remember the time Ramnath Goenka used to boldly declare that the Indian Express was Free, Frank and Fearless. I don’t know about that newspaper, but many others during this election were just Grubby, Greedy, and Gutless.”
Read the entire article: Notes from the Campaign Trail-III
Tags: 2009 Elections, Churumuri, General Elections 2009, M.V. Rajeev Gowda, M.V. Venkatappa, Pennsylvania University, Rajeev Gowda, Ramnath Goenka, Sans Serif, The Indian Express, Wharton
1 June 2009 at 5:02 pm
I suspect the same thing has happened elsewhere. I do hear the word in whispers that media organisations, as distinct from corrupt journalists, made big ‘coverage for money’ deals in quite a few states. If what I read is not a dispassionate account of events, how do I trust what is dished out in the news columns and on news networks? It is horrible, to say the least.
1 June 2009 at 5:40 pm
omfg, rajeev gowda is a dynasty man too!!!!
i thought it was so awesome that some phd holder and iim prof and awesome quizzer and quizmaster got into politics. now i know why… quite heartbreaking.
1 June 2009 at 7:47 pm
Wait there is more…the same Professor clown was ruing about Bangalore missing out on the Central Government goodies because they elected BJP candiadtes as MPs!!
1 June 2009 at 8:06 pm
Professor, the Shawl is too glittery to go unnoticed.
Whatever may be Shekhar Gupta’s loves and affiliations, The New Indian Express, at least the Bangalore edition does not hide its unlove for the Congress and its politics.
How dare they be deviant from the rest of the English media!
I learnt why a candidate like our beloved professor was not considered, it is all in the identity of the spouse.
1 June 2009 at 9:52 pm
Okay, its all media’s fault. Aam admi is stunningly intelligent but somehow deceived. Can we stop all these BS?
In a democracy, we get what we deserve.
I am not too regretful that I could not clear CAT, at least did not have to hear these professors.
1 June 2009 at 11:13 pm
DB,
Not everyone has single track mind like RSS cheddis.
2 June 2009 at 12:22 am
this is bad you should do something to punish them.
we should elect honest people to root out corruption
2 June 2009 at 10:31 am
Media’s drama was open and blaring… we don’t need an IIM prof to substantiate this..
2 June 2009 at 10:44 am
The holier-than-thou attitude of the Prof sucks..
2 June 2009 at 2:15 pm
The issue raised by Gowda is very relevant and quite true.
In regional papers it was difficult to sift the paid articles from the reports of the paper. Obviously, it was a deliberate attempt to mislead the viewers into thinking that the article was acutally a non-biased report of the publication, when it was actually an advertisement!
People like Andy, Not a witty nick and Dodda buddi are not commenting on the serious issue raised by the professor, instead they are attacking the professor mainly because he is a cong supporter.
it is this precise churlish behaviour (personal attacks) which cost BJP in this election dearly.
Guys, comment on the comments made by Professor, not comment on the commentator.
2 June 2009 at 3:08 pm
Not everyone has single track mind like RSS cheddis.
Seva Dal is too insignificant and cannot be compared with RSS … so what do you call Congress flunkeys?
Congress Kaachas? Congress Loins?
hmm… Gandhi/Nehru tOpis!
2 June 2009 at 5:08 pm
They belong to the same clan. People who have inherited properties-both meanings ncluded- can only speak what they presume truth.
2 June 2009 at 8:08 pm
Simple,
How do you explain these words:
Indian Express was Free, Frank and Fearless. I don’t know about that newspaper,
It is just a veiled attack on IE.
I have said earlier that I would have supported the Congress if it had fielded candidates like Prof. Gowda, that too, in the same constituency of South Bangalore.
Though I didn’t know his lineage, I know now, I don’t care. But I do care when a person like him says that he expects his nomination because of his religious identity, it is not some idiot politician like DKShi’/Kummi/Yeddy speaking! :(
The congress is into divisive politics since the time India got free(before that few factions did practise that). Congress’ divisive politics is surreptitious and more harmful than BJP are other known “communal” parties.
And about his revelation that’s not new, it has been beaten to death here on Churumuri and everywhere, why is there a stray reference to IE?
2 June 2009 at 10:07 pm
“Most cases of corruption in the media have so far involved the state of Andhra Pradesh”
Yep..that was because of EENADU and ETV owned by Ramoji Rao.
3 June 2009 at 2:31 pm
Hey,
you are right, Even Vijay Karnataka was pro BJP. On the voting day itself it declared that all the 3 onstiturncies in Bangalore are BJP’s.
Impartial 4th estate.
3 June 2009 at 6:17 pm
Even Vijay Karnataka was pro BJP
ROTFL
4 June 2009 at 11:45 am
Not a witty nick
Congress and divisive? lol.
4 June 2009 at 8:51 pm
Yes. :-)
7 June 2009 at 6:54 pm
“Of course, I advised my friend not to succumb because I was confident that we could get substantial coverage just by coming out with different media-oriented events and activities. And we did manage to do that. For free!”
Apparently it wasn’t enough. His candidate lost :)