MENACE OF PAID NEWS

Formation of media panels hangs fire
Nainital, January 2

Despite stringent measures ordered by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to tackle the menace of paid news after the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct, the constitution of the Media Certification and Monitoring Committees (MCMCs) is yet to take off. Meanwhile, media organisations across the state are learnt to be devising ways and techniques to increase their “election revenue”.

Sources in the government say that there are some roadblocks emerging with regards to the constitution of the MCMCs. While there is no doubt that the two members of the committees will be the Deputy District

Election Officers, problems are being encountered with regards to the other two members.

One of the members has to come from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. Sources say that while the orders have been sent across to the departments under the Information and Broadcasting Ministry like the song and drama division, most of the officials are busy holding voter awareness campaigns and other such works. However, they say that this will be resolved in a day or so.

The maximum confusion is prevailing with regards to the fourth member which is to be an independent person or journalist nominated by the Press Council of India (PCI). The officials say that they are unclear when such persons will be nominated and notified.

The sources further said the job for recording and monitoring of news being run in the electronic medium and print medium was being outsourced to credible agencies.

Meanwhile, sources within the media industry pointed out that ever since the Model Code of Conduct was implemented, several television channels had managed to hoodwink the authorities on the issue of paid news.

The sources said money had been changing hands for repeatedly running one to one interviews with politicians who had either been declared as candidates or were in the line for getting the party ticket.

The sources further said the marketing professionals had already been given huge targets to meet during the poll campaign.

The Joint Chief Election Officer for the state Saujanya had said here a week back that this time the commission’s own teams would be monitoring the expenses incurred instead of the earlier practice of relying only on the declarations made by the candidates.

She had also asserted that stringent measures would be taken to check the menace of paid news.