ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER 4 May 2013 24 Jumada II 1434 - Volume 18 Number 5689 Price: QR2 ON SATURDAY Qatar takes stake in Bharti Airtel NEW DELHI/DUBAI: Qatar has bought a five percent stake in Indian telecoms firm Bharti Airtel Ltd for $1.26bn, the firm said yesterday. The deal is being channelled through Qatar Foundation Endowment and a source close to QFE said it would be an active investor in Bharti Airtel, secur- ing a board seat at the world’s fourth-big- gest mobile phone company by customers. “QFE is in for the long-term,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. As part of the deal Bharti will issue 199.9 million new shares at Rs 340 each, a 7.3 per- cent premium to the stock’s Thursday closing price, the company said yesterday. See also page 14 Three new Sars-like cases in Saudi Arabia GENEVA: Three new cases of a new SARS-like virus have been detected in Saudi Arabia, the World Health Organisation reported yesterday. “The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has informed WHO of an additional three laboratory confirmed cases of infection with the novel coronavirus (nCoV),” the UN body said in a statement. “They are currently in critical condition,” it added. The organisation said the latest report brought to 27 the global total of labo- ‘GIFTED’ ratory confirmed cases, including 16 deaths. Outlook.com takes over from Hotmail SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft’s Hotmail, the free webmail service used by hundreds JOURNALISTS of millions of people around the world, was phased out yesterday, as the US tech giant completed a rebranding to Outlook.com. “We’re excited to announce that we’ve com- pleted upgrading all Hotmail customers to Outlook.com,” Microsoft’s Dick Craddock THE ISSUE said in a blog post late on Thursday. “Coupled with the growing organic excite- ment for Outlook.com, this has pushed us to over 400 million active Outlook.com accounts.” The transition began in February, Newspapers in Qatar are young publish and end their day’s work with ease. journalists and their newspapers on releases when Microsoft began a test of moving users Press releases have become an indispensable and event coverage is nothing new. They have to the new Outlook.com services. compared with other countries in part of Qatar’s print media culture and are for long been thriving by lavishing praise on the region or the Arab world as a distributed wholesale: independently, as also officials and businessmen. “Perhaps, no one whole, but not so young that they at press briefings, product launches, lectures has ever thought about the need to change and conferences. the system.” Prosecutor in Bhutto, cannot attempt bold and critical Ironically, not only readers but the very Critics say expatriate journalists cannot be stories. public relations agencies that churn out press expected to bring about the desired changes Mumbai cases killed handouts by the hundreds every week to get in the system, for being foreigners they can- ut, sadly, a culture of gifts, cash hand- publicity in the local newspapers for their cli- not be critical and must leave at some point ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s main state outs and free overseas trips has taken ents, privately blame the journalists for their in their career. prosecutor in the 2007 murder of former root, which is spoiling journalists, and deteriorating professional standards and say They also run the risk of inviting the wrath prime minister Benazir Bhutto and the Bthe newspapers seem to be turning some of them are lazy and incompetent. of their bosses by writing critical stories. “So 2008 Mumbai attacks was shot dead in a blind eye to the malaise as that helps them “Many journalists ask for a release when the solution lies in getting more and more Islamabad en route to court yesterday, multiply their advertising revenues. covering an event, even if it is a press con- locals into newspaper journalism as only they police said. Chaudhry Zulfiqar was shot Print journalists, the vast majority of whom ference. Some of them are really lazy,” a PR can fight for press freedom,” says a critic. multiple times after gunmen intercepted are expatriates, are concerned with their sur- industry insider told this newspaper yesterday. But that is unlikely to happen as pay and his vehicle shortly after he left home in vival and savings for their future financial Print journalism in Qatar isn’t looked at perks in Qatar’s newspaper industry remain a busy, middle-class neighbourhood of the security, and find the current situation quite with awe and respect either by the common disappointingly low. What is needed is an capital. His bodyguard was also wounded convenient as they don’t have to work hard reader, officialdom or even by many in the improvement in the monetary compensa- and a woman passer-by killed. and do bold, critical or controversial stories local PR industry as there are some journalists tion for the locals at least so that they are Zulfiqar was given extra government PAGEand face unwanted 6 risks. who try and cultivate relations with the latter attracted to print journalism in large numbers, security last year after he was mentioned In the form of press handouts or releases, with an eye on gifts and paid trips abroad. say experts. in threats received by police investigators journalists get ready-to-use materials to Critics say the dependence of local See also page 2 and 4 working on the Bhutto case. Full report on page 12 AGENCIES www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 MAY 4, 2013 ON SATURDAY 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Home Promoting a culture of press releases Yesterday was World Press Freedom Day. We examine why journalism in Qatar is boring for true professionals and full of rewards for corrupt practitioners in the trade. BY MOBIN PANDIT In any country with a relatively that press conferences in Qatar free press, the ratio of the releases are held just to gain publicity. If ewspapers in Qatar are that are used shouldn’t be more a company signs an agreement Media body charges so full of press releases than two or three percent. “Back however unimportant, it would that if they don’t carry home, we didn’t get more than a convene a press meet,” said a sen- for press conferences Nnews from around the few releases a month and, obvi- Some institutions ior reporter. world sent by international wire ously, we value the releases sent Evading uneasy questions at DOHA: An association of some Indian journalists based in agencies whose services they by the police or such state depart- consider themselves press briefings is not common to Qatar and affiliated with the Indian embassy charges money subscribe to, they can easily pass ments due to their news value,” as holy cow and companies alone. Many key gov- from the organisers of some press conferences to cover their off as in-house journals of some said another senior journalist. their often arrogant ernment ministries and agencies event. corporate entities, official mouth- There are companies and agen- resort to such tactics. The Indian Media Forum (IMF) justifies the professionally pieces of the government, or at cies that send press releases to officials insist that Here is an example: the unethical levy on the ground that the money thus collected is best, a medium for advertising newspapers through their adver- their press handouts Ministry of Labour recently held used to support its operations. agencies. tising departments to make sure be published without a press conference to announce The IMF has a large number of members who represent the Their local pages carry any- they are published. And there are that a few new countries were vernacular Malayalam media, both print and electronic, most of thing but local news. The pages journalists who even collect adver- any alterations or added to the list from where whom are not trained as journalists. are mostly filled with publicity tisements for their organisation editing. Qatari manpower agencies could IMF insiders say QR500 is collected by their organisation for materials called ‘press’ releases from the very companies they source housemaids. covering press conferences that are held to promote Indian cultural by the corporate world, institu- cover and collect commissions. Journalists were surprised shows, opening of hypermarkets or press conferences addressed tions like schools and universities, Then, there are reporters who when the two officials addressing by Indian political leaders on visit. and government ministries and become close to some PR agen- rewriting — a boring yet challeng- the conference evaded questions Malayalam is the language of the south Indian state of Kerala agencies. cies and use their releases in their ing work for which dedicated pro- and said they were there only to which sends the largest number of Indians to Qatar. Some These so-called press handouts newspapers regularly, thus build- fessionals are hired. announce the new countries. This Malayalam newspapers have Qatar editions as well. actually look for free publicity. ing a rapport to collect gifts and Press briefings and events like infuriated at least one reporter A large number of Malayalam TV channels and newspapers, Most releases are badly written enjoy free overseas trips. launches and conferences are held who politely said: “You should based in Kerala as well as the GCC region, have representatives in and if some are newsworthy — Some stoop to such levels that here literally at the drop of a hat instead have sent a release”. Qatar. The neighbouring Dubai has some Malayalam radio stations which is rare — the news is bur- they ask the PR people to send and their coverage takes care of The most shameful thing of and they also have representatives here.