Election Commission tightens noose around the media neck for making money on paid News.

17.06.10 : The Election Commission has realized the seriousness of “paid news” (and not advertisements) making a nuisance of themselves to serious readers, as ads make a nuisance on TV sets during cricket matches and even news reading periods on Radio stations. Every officer of state election commission has been instructed by Wednesday (June 16), to be attentive and take action against the proliferation of what is known as “ paid news”, without pictures obviously.

The problem is that the news may not be accurate, or even may be confusing keen minds, but as it is paid for by an agency, or a company, to further business or self interest, it is published without verification. Certain political parties habitually let out such news which turns out to be fake and misleading. Such news, the CEC in N. Delhi has asked its local sections in states, cities and at lower levels (Panchayat levels), to hunt for and keep an eye on, so they (news distributors) do not create rumours into real happenings, or events / news.

Such paid news crop up prolifically in certain dailies, which have no norms, other than filling their money boxes, especially during elections – state and Panchayat Raj etc., and the paid news covers eyes and ears, visually and audibly.

There is the bad habit of over spending during the period preceding actual voting day and everybody joins in going over the legal limits in spending, by associating others as admirers, well-wishers and what not, on such insertions or paid news.

The local election commission officers have been asked to keep such tendencies in check, and punish them suitably under the code of conduct and existing laws. Misleading ads and flattering “paid news” definitely have on intimidator feeling now, that CEC is against them.