The investigative news portal Cobrapost on Friday released a series of videos highlighting how big media houses easily agree to run paid campaigns glorifying Hindutva and demeaning opposition parties. Some individuals associated with media groups were also shown on camera accepting that they are “pro-government” and intentionally paint their reports in favour of the ruling dispensation at the Centre.
1) The sting operation: Cobrapost released the second part of its investigative report titled ‘Operation 136’ two months after it released its first edition. In both the editions, undercover reporter Pushp Sharma, assuming the identity of a pracharak ‘Acharya Atal’ from the ‘Srimad Bhagvat Gita Prachar Samiti’ speaks to managers and owners of media houses. They have shown 27 media houses in their coverage.
2) The plot: The videos show ‘Acharya Atal’ explaining to media houses that the Hindutva campaign should be run in two phases to which all of the approached parties except two agree. He says that the first phase includes the creation of an atmosphere with the help of religious discourses and mythological programmes, while at the same time ridiculing Opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav. Then he mentions that the second phase would include a more direct appeal to audiences by highlighting speeches of hardliners like RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Vinay Katiyar and Uma Bharti.
3) Vineet Jain and black money: In the latest videos, Times Group MD Vineet Jain and the group’s executive president, Sanjeev Shah, are seen and heard discussing the proposed deal in which ‘Acharya Atal’ offers them Rs 500 crore in exchange for advertorials and events that would be presented as programming on Krishna and the Bhagavad Gita, but which would serve as a cover for Hindutva and its political agenda. Jain is also shown suggesting that the payment for running these paid reports should be made in cash i.e. black money.
4) India Today isn’t clean: India Today group Vice-chairman Kalli Purie also agreed to promote the right-wing ideology, according to the portal. However, she added that her media group might criticise some of their “activities” if they disagree with them “editorially”.
5) The Yes man: Interestingly, Cobrapost also mentioned that TV Today’s chief revenue officer, Rahul Kumar Shaw told the undercover reporter, “I must tell you, I am very very pro, very pro to the government”. On similar lines, Basab Ghosh, regional sales head of OPEN magazine was recorded as saying, “Let me tell you one thing. Nobody supports the Sangathan (RSS) as much as OPEN supports it.”
6) Suggestions galore: Associate vice-president of Hindustan Times, Avneesh Bansal is shown giving advice on how the Hindutva ideology can be better covered by media houses. According to Bansal, the Sangh should “keep funding media houses” in order to ensure that their “positive” stories are run. He also suggests that a “PR company of repute” should be hired by the right-wing organisation to “control reporters as they are the source of news”.
7) Propaganda-based investigative journalism: Cobrapost mentioned that Purushottam Vaishnav, CEO regional news channels at Zee Media happily agreed to run investigative stories showing the opposition parties in a negative light. “Whatever input you will send in the form of content that will be absorbed. We have been doing investigative journalism, we will do it for you. (Compared to Zee) none of the channels has done so many,” Vaishnav was quoted as saying.
8) Reliance angle: According to Cobrapost, Big FM senior business partner Amit Choudhary admits to the cordial relationship between Reliance Industries and the BJP. “Reliance is always a supporter of the BJP,” Choudhary reportedly said.
9) Not all are sold: The released videos show that representatives from two media houses refused the undercover reporter’s proposals to glorify Hindutva. Bengali newspapers –Bartaman and Dainik Sambad — did not budge.
10) First edition: In March-end, Cobrapost uploaded excerpts from video recordings showing the same under-cover reporter convincing 17 media groups to promote Hindutva for electoral purposes.
The organisations covered in the first edition were: India TV, which belongs to Rajat Sharma, India’s largest Hindi newspaper Dainik Jagran, local Uttar Pradesh channel Hindi Khabar, entertainment and news television company SAB Group, English newsaper DNA(Daily News and Analysis) which is owned by Zee and Dainik Bhaskar, Amar Ujala, news agency UNI, entertainment channel 9X Tashan, UP news channel Samachar Plus, Uttarakhand channel HNN 24×7, Hindi newspapers Punjab Kesari and Swatantra Bharat, web portals ScoopWhoop and Rediff.com, IndiaWatch, Hindi newspaper Aaj and Lucknow-based news channel, Sadhna Prime News.
Also Read: The Cobrapost invesigation ‘Operation 136: Part 1’
11) The reactions: Reacting to the expose, journalist Rajdeep Sardesai said that he has never faced any issue at India Today adding “equal space is given to every voice” in the organisation.
Swaraj Abhiyan leader and advocate Prashant Bhushan even praised media houses like The Telegraph and The Hindu, among others for not running paid news. Renowned journalist and columnist Swati Chaturvedi also hailed Hindustan Times, The Statesman, NDTV and Indian Express.
To be sure: Though Cobrapost operation 136 exposes much of big media on sale, there are still several media organizations that don’t do paid news. NDTV, Indian Express, Rajasthan Patrika, Telegraph, Hindu, Tribune, to name a few.Even within exposed media, there are honest journos https://t.co/vPnXGh1obs
— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) May 26, 2018
Not true Kavita never been any pressure not to do a story in @TheStatesmanLtd @IndianExpress & @htTweets Not a line censored in @ndtv All media is not the same. https://t.co/gv1S876amJ
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) May 26, 2018