Abstract
PERCEPTION OF PAID NEWS AMONG MEDIA STUDENTS IN BANGALORE
Rajarshi Bhattacharjee Registered Number: 1324021
A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Science in Communication
Christ University Bengaluru
2015
Department of Media Studies Authorship
Declaration ii
Christ University Department of Media Studies
This is to certify that I have examined this copy of a master’s thesis by
Rajarshi Bhattacharjee Registered Number: 1324021
and have found that it is complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the final examining committee have been made.
Committee Members:
______
______
Date: ______
iii
iv
Master's Signature
I, Rajarshi Bhattacharjee, confirm that this dissertation and the work presented in it are original. 1. Where I have consulted the published work of others this is always clearly attributed. 2. Where I have quoted from the work of others the source is always given. With the exception of such quotations this dissertation is entirely my own work. 3. I have acknowledged all main sources of help. 4. If my research follows on from previous work or is part of a larger collaborative research project I have made clear exactly what was done by others and what I have contributed myself. 5. I am aware and accept the penalties associated with plagiarism.
Date: Signature of Student
v
vi
Title Page
Abstract
Perception of Paid News among Media Students in Bangalore Rajarshi Bhattacharjee Master of Science in Communication, Christ University, Bengaluru
Gone are the days when advertising were among the major source of revenue for media organizations. The recent past has witnessed the rise of paid news in media organizations where they get paid to publish favourable news about a person or organization. This practice is s serious blow to the journalistic ethics of the country. This dissertation will try to find out what the media students in this part of the country think about this phenomenon. Apart from that, the researcher will also try and compare the same with selected non-media students and bring out a comparative analysis.
vii
viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to my guide Amutha Manavalan for her constant guidance encouragement and support. I also thank course coordinator Prof.
Father Biju K.C., Naresh Rao, Suparna Naresh, Aasita Bali, Rajesh A, Kannan S. and
Shantaraju S. for their valuable feedback and restless assistance in bringing out this research. I also would like to thank my family and friends for the encouragement and devotion, without whom this thesis would never have been completed
ix
x
DEDICATION
To my loving family and friends
xi
xii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ...... 1
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ...... 9
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY ...... 14
CHAPTER 4: ANALYSIS ...... 24
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION ...... 43
xiii
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Specify your gender...... 26 Figure 2: Are you an under-graduate student or post-graduate student? ...... 27 Figure 3: Are you a media or non-media student? ...... 28 Figure 4: Specify your knowledge of current affairs...... 29 Figure 5: How often do you read newspapers? ...... 31 Figure 6: Since when have you been reading newspapers? ...... 32 Figure 7: Your preferred medium of news reading? ...... 33 Figure 8: Which English newspaper do you read? ...... 34 Figure 9: Do you read regional newspapers? ...... 35 Figure 10 Are you aware of the phenomenon of 'paid news'? ...... 36 Figure 11: How often do you come across 'paid news'? ...... 37 Figure 12: Knowledge of ‘private treaties’...... 38 Figure 13: Difference between a news article and an advertorial? ...... 39 Figure 14: Which sector is projected the most through advertorials?...... 40 Figure 15: Do you find advertorials misleading? ...... 41
xiv
xv
Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION
India is the world's biggest democracy. It is a broad communication society, a framework that has advanced over hundreds of years, is involved a complex schema.
Modernization has changed this into an interchanges arrange that maintains the beat of a vote based system of around 1.1 billion individuals. India's daily paper advancement is about unmatched in world press history. India's daily paper industry and its
Westernization go hand in hand. India's press is an analogy for its progression in the globalized world.
The printing press went before the appearance of printed news in India by around 100 years. It was in 1674 that the first printing contraption was built in Bombay.
India's first daily paper, Calcutta General Advertise, otherwise called the Hicky's Bengal
Gazette was created in January 1780, and the first Hindi day by day, Samachar Sudha
Varshan , started in 1854. The advancement of the Indian media since has been loaded with formative challenges; absence of education, pioneer obligations and restraint, destitution, and lack of concern ruin enthusiasm toward news and media. Inside this system, it is informative to analyze India's press in two wide explanatory segments: pre- colonial times and the frontier, autonomous press (which might, again be ordered into two: former and after the Emergency guideline forced by Indira Gandhi's administration in 1975). The post-Emergency stage, which proceeds at the present, may be the third autonomous period of India's daily paper revolution.
Indian press have faced a lot of restriction since the colonial times. Regressive press acts like the Vernacular Press Act, the Press and Registration of Books Act, The
Official Secrets Act have tried to suppress the press time and again. But it has come out
strong every time. However, the phenomenon of ‘paid news’ that is prevalent in Indian media is being black mark on Indian Journalism.
1.1 Journalism as a Profession Journalism as a craft, a profession and even as a trade or business is over two centuries old. It was made possible by coming together of a number of technologies as well as several social and political and economic developments .The main technologies that facilitated the development of large-scale printing and distribution of print material were the printing press and the railways.
As a craft Journalism involves specialisation in one area (editorial, design, and printing); for the reporters and the sub-editors for instance, it entails writing to a deadline, following routines in a conveyor-belt like workplace, while respecting the division of labour in the newsroom and the printing press. In earlier times, knowledge of type writing and shorthand were the main skills demanded; today computing and DTP skills are in demand for all areas of Journalism. Also the divisions among the different areas have become blurred. 1.2 Journalistic Ethics In 1997, an association then controlled by PEJ, the Committee of Concerned
Journalists, started a national discussion among nationals and news individuals to distinguish and illuminate the standards that underlie reporting. Following four years of exploration, including 20 open discussions around the nation, a perusing of news coverage history, a national review of columnists, and that's only the tip of the iceberg, the gathering discharged a Statement of Shared Purpose that recognized nine standards.
These turned into the premise for The Elements of Journalism, the book by PEJ Director
Tom Rosenstiel and CCJ Chairman and PEJ Senior Counselor Bill Kovach. Here are those standards, as sketched out in the first Statement of Shared Purpose.
2
1.2.1 A Statement of Purpose After extended examination by journalists themselves of the character of journalism at the end of the 20thcentury, we offer this common understanding of what defines our work. The central purpose of journalism is to provide citizens with accurate and reliable information they need to function in a free society.
This encompasses myriad roles--helping define community, creating common language and common knowledge, identifying a community's goals, Heros and villains, and pushing people beyond complacency. This purpose also involves other requirements, such as being entertaining, serving as watchdog and offering voice to the voiceless. Over time journalists have developed nine core principles to meet the task.
They comprise what might be described as the theory of journalism:
Journalism's first obligation is to the truth
Vote based system relies on upon natives having solid, exact truths put in a significant setting. Reporting does not seek after truth in an outright or philosophical sense, yet it can- -and must—seek after it in a reasonable sense. This "journalistic truth" is a process that starts with the expert order of amassing and checking certainties. At that point columnists attempt to pass on a reasonable and dependable record of their significance, substantial until further notice, subject to further examination. Columnists ought to be as straightforward as would be prudent about sources and strategies so crowds can make their own particular appraisal of the data. Indeed in an universe of extending voices, precision is the establishment whereupon everything else is manufactured -connection, translation, remark, feedback, examination and open deliberation.. As inhabitants experience an always foremost stream of data, they have more need- -not less- -for identifiable sources gave to watching that information and setting it in connection.
Its first loyalty is to citizens
While news organizations answer too many constituencies, including advertisers and shareholders, the journalists in those organizations must maintain allegiance to citizens and the larger public interest above any other if they are to provide the news without fear or favour. This dedication to natives first is the premise of a news association's validity, the inferred pledge that tells the School of Distance Education
3
History of Journalism crowd the scope is not inclined for companions or publicists. Duty to natives additionally implies news-casting ought to present an agent picture of all constituent gatherings in the public arena. Overlooking certain nationals has the impact of disappointing them. The hypothesis fundamental the advanced news industry has been the conviction that believability manufactures an expansive and unwavering group of onlookers, and that financial achievement follows thusly. In that respect, the representatives in a news association additionally must sustain -not abuse -their faithfulness to the gathering of people in front of different contemplations.
Its essence is a discipline of verification
Journalists rely on a professional discipline for verifying information At the point when the idea of objectivity initially advanced, it didn't infer that columnists are free of inclination. It called, rather, for a reliable system for testing data -a straightforward methodology to confirmation -exactly so that individual and social predispositions would not undermine the exactness of their work. The technique is target, not the columnist. Searching out numerous witnesses, uncovering however much as could reasonably be expected about sources, or approaching different sides for input, all sign such gauges. This control of check is the thing that divides news-casting from different modes of correspondence, for example, purposeful publicity, fiction or amusement.
However the requirement for expert technique is not generally completely perceived or refined. While news-casting has created different systems for deciding realities, case in point, it has done less to create a framework for testing the dependability of journalistic understanding. Its professionals must keep up an autonomy from those they cover
Independence is a basic prerequisite of news coverage, a foundation of its dependability
Independence of soul and psyche, as opposed to impartiality, is the rule columnists must keep in centering. While editorialists and pundits are not impartial, the wellspring of their validity is still their exactness, intelligent reasonableness and capacity to illuminate
-not their commitment to a certain gathering or conclusion. In our autonomy, then again, we must dodge any propensity to stray into pomposity, elitism, detachment or scepticism.
It must serve as an independent monitor of power
4
Reporting has a strange ability to serve as guard dog over those whose force and position most influences nationals. The Founders perceived this to be a bulwark against dictatorship when they guaranteed an autonomous press; courts have attested it; natives depend on it. As writers, we have a commitment to ensure this guard dog opportunity by not demeaning it in trivial utilize or misusing it for business pick up.
It must give a discussion to open feedback and trade off.
The news media are the regular bearers of open exchange, and this obligation structures a premise for our exceptional benefits. This examination serves society best when it is educated by truths instead of bias and supposition. It additionally ought to strive to reasonably speak to the fluctuated perspectives investments in the public eye, and to place them in setting as opposed to highlight just the clashing edges of open deliberation. Exactness and truthfulness oblige that as designers of general society discourse we not disregard the purposes of shared view where critical thinking happens.
It must strive to make the significant interesting and relevant
News-casting is narrating with a reason. It ought to accomplish more than accumulate a crowd of people or inventory the paramount. For its survival, it must parity what readers know they need with what they can't foresee however require. In short, it must strive to make the huge intriguing and significant.
The viability of a bit of news coverage is measured both by the amount of a work captivates its group of onlookers and illuminates it. This implies writers should constantly ask what data has most esteem to residents and in what structure. While reporting ought to achieve past such points as government and open security, a news coverage overpowered by trivia and false essentialness eventually causes an inconsequential society.
It must keep the news comprehensive and proportional
Keeping news in extent and not forgetting critical things are additionally foundations of truthfulness. News-casting is a manifestation of cartography: it makes a guide for nationals to explore society.
Blowing up occasions for sensation, ignoring others, stereotyping or being lopsidedly negative all make a less dependable guide. The guide additionally ought to incorporate news of all our groups, not only those with alluring demographics. This is
5 best attained by newsrooms with differences of foundations and points of view. The guide is just a relationship; extent and completeness are subjective, yet their subtlety does not decrease their centrality.
Its practitioners must be allowed to exercise their personal conscience
Each writer must have an individual feeling of morals and obligation -an ethical compass. Each of us must be ready, if reasonableness and precision require, to voice contrasts with our partners, whether in the newsroom or the official suite. News associations do well to sustain this autonomy by urging people to talk their psyches.
This fortifies the savvy assorted qualities important to comprehend and precisely cover an undeniably different society. It is this assorted quality of brains and voices, not simply numbers that matters.
A news medium is a strategy for transmission of news, advancing, or distinctive messages from an information source to general society, for instance, an everyday paper or radio. It contains news, conclusions, contrivances, and publicizing. It ought to be a non-uneven medium that is to execute the critical commitment of giving definite information. At the outset the noteworthy calling of Journalism recently allowed the notices to be a paid part to deal with the cost and make the medium accessible for all territories of the overall population. In any case, as of late, it is not simply the advancements that are paid for; the rest additionally can be controlled by the people who have the money influence. Today there are notice contrivances, uneven suppositions and most startling "news" that are paid for. It is not that the vibe of Paid news is extraordinarily later. It is generally starting late those cases have been pinpointed and those charged have been tended to.
Indian media incorporates distinctive stages like: TV, radio, film, consistently papers, magazines, and Internet-based Web locales. An expansive segment of the media is controlled by a long shot arriving at, wage driven associations which get wage from publicizing, cooperations, and offer of copyrighted material. India likewise has a strong music and film industry. India has more than 70,000 consistently papers and in wealth of
690 satellite stations (more than 80 are news stations) and is the best step by step paper showcase on the planet - in excess of 100 million duplicates sold reliably.
6
1.3 Advertorial and Paid news The Merriam-Webster lexicon characterizes an "advertorial" as an ad that emulates article position. It dates the source of the expression to 1946. Paid news or paid substance are those articles in daily papers, magazines and the electronic media, which show great conditions for the foundation that has paid for it. The news is much like an ad yet without the advertisement tag. This sort of news has been viewed as a genuine negligence since it deludes the residents, not telling them that the news is, actually, a notice. Paid news in this way is the act of offering over-burden envelopes in exchange for 'target ad'. The wonder itself is not new, and has existed for quite a long time. What is really creating concern is that of late the practice seems, by all accounts, to be getting standardized, not by degenerate individual news people, yet rather by the distributers and media endeavors themselves. It is said that a dichotomy is developing where on one hand, it has been accounted for that numerous media houses in India, regardless of their volume of business have begun offering news space after some understanding with lawmakers and corporate magnates masking such "notices" as gimmicks and reports.
Then again, it is various concerned and persuasive media persons' associations have demonstrated their worry in regards to the evil practices for the sake of news coverage that is occurring in the nation today. The thought of paid news is climbing like frenzy among an extraordinary numerous segments of concerned people. Then again, a dominant part of the nationals remain wilfully dim-witted of the risk. Those of us, who are progressively getting to think about the pervasiveness of such a misbehaviour, feel disillusioned not frightened. As we have effectively seen different misbehaviours like yellow news-casting, one-sided perspectives, advertorials, and so forth. In this way, paid news is a greater amount of an expansion to a long rundown as opposed to an individual danger. The magazines have scope of paid substance, which they act like data. What is making it inadmissible was that the political gatherings and corporate magnates are currently utilizing this as an issue to assemble a good view according to clueless masses. These cases are a grave abuse of the right of flexibility of press. Daily paper readers are presented to these sorts of controlled articles constantly. I need to direct this study to discover how 'paid news' impact the attitude of the readers; whether
7 the readers comprehend that the news article they are perusing is really paid for by somebody and do they purchase the data being given by the article.
8
Chapter 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE
The journal article Paid News- Economic Rules by Anindita Banerjee and Nisha
Gigani of University of Calcutta talks about the institutionalization of paid news in the last few decades says how news organizations are signing ‚private treaties‛ with multinational corporations to publish favourable articles (Anindita Banerjee, June 2011).
Many media houses in India, irrespective of their volume of business have started selling news space after some understanding with politicians and corporate magnates disguising such ‚advertisements‛ as features and reports (Anindita Banerjee, June 2011).
The issue of paid news was examined shockingly at the South Asia Free Media
Association (India section) meeting in Mumbai amid the first week of December 2009.
Numerous prominent writers raised their voices against the perilous practice of offering news space in exchange for money. Next was the real general gathering of the Editors'
Guild of India amid the fourth week of December, 2009, where the parts communicated concern at the growing inclination of an area of media gatherings (both print and varying media) to get cash for some "non-advertorial" things in their media space. Every part editorial manager of the society got letters urging media ventures to promise resignation of any type of paid news as it genuinely 'disregards and undermines the standards of free and reasonable news-casting'. Rajdeep Sardesai and Coomi Kapoor,
President and Secretary General of the Guild separately, marked the letter. In spite of the fact that just about totally disregarded by the well known media houses everywhere, the paid news issue is in effect constantly inspected and interrogated by a concerned segment of the general public. The wonder of paid news was utilized wildly amid the
2009 Lok Sabha races. This shook the very foundation of free and unprejudiced press in
India to such a degree, to the point that the Information and Broadcasting Ministry solicited the Press Council from India to submit a report on the issue.
Today the press is much the same as whatever other business - benefit arranged and market driven. It can henceforth be contends why the press ought to get the profits that it appreciates and why if it appreciate the status of data suppliers and assessment creators on the off chance that they don't do anything however immaculate straightforward business. A press association today is so firmly impacted by the market that it indicates past the ads and other supported segments. The Press Council of India was cautioned by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) about an alternate occurrence of paid news is as "private settlements" between media organizations and corporate associations. Private arrangement is a formal understanding between the media organization and an alternate non-media organization in which the recent exchanges certain shares of the organization to the previous in lieu of commercial space and great scope.
In an article published in the Hindustan Times written by Vir Sanghvi in
February 2003, the issue of newspaper organization owners influencing the reporting of news was highlighted. Vir Sanghvi argues that the distinction between editorial (the content that is not paid for) and advertisements (the content that is paid for) is slowly diminishing. He says that the only reason why newspapers are selling news space is- greed (Sanghvi, 2003). But why are the readers not protesting against such a phenomenon? Vir Sanghvi argues that the present generation are least bothered about the stuff published in newspapers. All they want to do is skim-read page one, look at the pictures and put the paper away (Sanghvi, 2003). And at times the readers do not know that the news article they are reading is actually paid for by someone else.
The Journal article Reader Categorization of a Controversial Communication:
Advertisement versus Editorial authored by J.B. Wilkinson, Douglas R. Hausknecht and
George E. Prough gives detailed information of an experiment carried out on newspaper readers. Readers were shown an actual newspaper section that contained different types of editorials and advertisements. They were advised to characterize articles as either news or advertorial. In the daily paper there was a publication notice titled "Of cigarettes and science" supported by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. Dominant part of the respondents had the capacity group it as a commercial referring to its different appearance and enticing substance. On the other hand, more than one fourth of the 10 respondents couldn't make that out referring to that it needed immediate deals data. The late developments in the field of publicizing and inventive headways in composing have smudged the qualification between business advancement and news. This misdirects different readers in accepting special material as news. In the city of Bangalore we see full page advertorials of real estates in daily papers. In the US, business discourse goes under the domain of Federal Trade Commission which plainly expresses that such discourse should not misdirect general society into accepting false data. An alternate essential point examined in the diary is the need to order a message as business or non- business and the criteria to sort it.
The journal article Advertising Pressures on Newspapers: A Survey by Lawrence
C. Soley and Robert L. Craig tells us how newspapers get pressurized by advertisers
(Craig, 1992). The survey shows that just under 90 percent of reported getting influenced by advertisers in the content of the stories carried by their newspapers. 90 percent faced economic pressures because of their reporting. Many journalists confess that the news organization self-censors content on the pressures of advertisers. According to Steinem,
‚newsmagazines use 'soft' cover stories to sell ads, confuse readers with 'advertorials,' and occasionally self-censor on subjects known to be a problem with advertisers ‚
(Steinem, 1990). The diary gives occasions where sponsors have expelled their notices from periodicals on the grounds that it ran articles in opposition to its wishes or diversions. Illustrations incorporate Procter and Gamble and Camel Cigarettes. Editors report in this review that because of the publicist's weights their periodical's believability is going down. It has a hindering effect on the journalistic morals. An alternate paramount issue is examined in the diary. Various periodicals charge less or nothing at all from their supporters. Since the income from memberships is low they are intensely subject to the publicizing incomes to win their every day bread. This gives colossal force to publicists who manage their terms to these periodicals. This is all that much genuine I the instance of India where Times of India, the biggest circling daily paper offers their periodicals at ostensible rates. They are majorly reliant on promoting incomes. Hence, it can be attested that they are additionally succumbing to publicizing weights to distribute content ideal to the publicist's items or administrations. Hypothesis predicts
11 that periodicals with smaller circulation are more prone to succumbing to advertising pressures (Craig, 1992).
The research paper by Danish Nabi, Malik Zahra Khalid and Aaliya Ahmed named Media-Marketing Paradigm—an analytical study of Paid News in Indian Media talks about the use of paid news as a tool to project and promote business houses apart from politicians (Danish Nabi, 2014). The entomb reliance of media houses and corporate associations has made is less demanding for the recent to utilize the previous to its greatest degree to advance their items and administrations. Promoting strategies are changing and with it, the publicizing example. Media was once known to illuminate and instruct the individuals. Individuals took imperative choices focused around data gave by the media. In any case, this is changing quickly. Corporate associations upheld by eager business are currently assuming control over the media. Ads are a prevailing element instead of news in today's media. The journalistic ethics are undermined. The trend has encouraged a symbiotic business relation between the corporate world and the corporatized media (Nabi, 2014). The journal article also provides us a proper explanation of paid news. In simple terms it is an advertisement in the garb of news
(Nabi, 2014). ‚Private Treaties‛ between businesses and media houses are also giving way to paid news. The issue of private treaties influencing is discussed in an online article written by Clifton D'rozario (D'Rozario, 2008). A case was said where two workers bite the dust in a lift crash at a development site in Bangalore. All other national and provincial daily papers say the name of the private development organization yet
The Times of India does not. At the point when the creator investigated all the more about it, he figured out that the organization had a private settlement with the Times of
India gathering. The settlement empowered BCCL to take up stakes in the private development organization and thusly get long haul publicizing income. There have been occurrences of news space being sold to lawmakers for their self advancement. The Press
Council of India has considered up the matter important and set up a board to examine on the matter. The committee came up with shocking revelations of identical articles with photographs and headlines that ‚have appeared in competing publications carrying by-lines of different authors around the same time and on the same page of specific newspapers.‛
12
This is the situation of paid news in India. The degenerate government officials and benefit looking for organizations are making best utilization of this sensation to misdirect people in general into thinking something which is not genuine or objective.
The impending eras of media experts ought to comprehend the gravity of the compounding circumstance and ought to strive to contradict the corporatization of the media particularly in a city like Bangalore which is blasting with land and its backup organizations gazing toward the media to advance their hobbies.
13
Chapter 3 METHODOLOGY
Methodology is the precise, hypothetical investigation of the methods connected to a field of study. There is a distinction in the methodology and methods. Methodology gives a hypothetical understanding of strategies which are best suited for application to a specific case instead of giving answers for the issue. Ideas, for example, quantitative or subjective investigation, and hypothetical model, standard and so on are all piece of it.
Approach additionally specifies the modes of information gathering and the example size to be focused on. It is vital for the specialist to have a reasonable system as a top priority so the examination is done easily. A fitting understanding of the methodology will help the researcher in his information accumulation and investigation of the same.
In straightforward terms, a strong methodology gives guidance and a valuable system to the exploration being led.
The researcher will conduct a quantitative study to find out the perception of paid news among media students in Bangalore. Quantitative research uses statistical, numerical and mathematical data or computational techniques to investigate social phenomenon. Data in numerical form is basically quantitative data. The measurement process is very important in quantitative analysis. The fundamental connection between empirical observation and mathematical expression is provided using the measurement process. In simple terms, a researcher suing quantitative analysis has a specific question in mind. He collects sample data in numerical form and analyses it using statistics.
Researcher then generalises the data for a larger population hoping for unbiased results.
Social science research widely uses quantitative research.
Quantitative research uses a top-down model where the researcher comes up with a hypothesis and then carries out research to prove the hypothesis right or wrong.
In this research, the hypothesis is that media students in Bangalore are well aware of the
prevalence of paid news and detest the phenomenon. The research is also about finding a comparison about the perception of paid news among non-media students in
Bangalore. The researcher believes that non-media students are not much aware of the phenomenon and might not be able to understand the difference between news and paid content.
The researcher will also conduct an expert interview to get a proper understanding on the topic of paid news and its prevalence in the Indian media. The researcher will get an in-depth opinion of the expert.
The expert chosen for the interview is Mr. Sarthak Ganguly, who is a journalist working with the Times of India.
Expert interview gives a constant feedback from respondents and allows them to give out their own insights and describe them in their own words. An expert interview provides knowledge and provides a framework for the researcher to conduct the research. 3.1 Questionnaire A research is a way to find information or data about a focus subject. Research can be done for many purposes ranging from buying stationery to researching the demand and supply dynamics of a market before releasing a product. Scholarly research is a research which is done in a systematic, objective, careful manner and is very concerned regarding its accuracy and honesty. Also this research does not necessarily require any particular data or any statistics to provide evidence, researches like
Historical research which can be conducted by reading documents and reaching conclusions through analysis, Culture studies which can also be done by differences in the interpretation of documented theories or data can be done. In the end everything boils up to interpretations, after collecting the data the researchers have to interpret the data and this process can be done using many different theories of interpretations this process is called Perspectivism.
The process of research has been inspired by the rationality of scientific thinking of seeking the truth and accepting information that is counter to ones desires and wishes.
Investigative deduction is sensible and the conclusions acquired are focused around a methodology of thorough intuition and the genuineness of tolerating reality as the
15 procedure decides. In the translations of an exploration one infrequently gets sureness, it is constantly open to elucidations in distinctive connections and contradictions.
Additionally to bode well out of any occasions happening around us it is critical to contrast and an alternate or inverse result, for instance we comprehend what is in pattern in the general public by contrasting it and something that is not in pattern any longer.
Mass media research is the examination directed to break down, watch or comprehend the progressions happening in the public eye because of the impacts of
Mass mediums. Mass media is any type of correspondence medium that all the while achieves an expansive number of individuals like Television, Radio, Newspapers, and
Internet and so forth. Case in point Market research which is carried out to figure out what substance arrangements is prone to run well with the gathering of people or what as of now are in their decent evaluations and to give that substance more to individuals furthermore secure what they need. Subsequently research implies an inquiry of realities and answers inquiries to give answers for issues.
The researcher will use a questionnaire to collect data. A questionnaire is an important data collection tool and research instrument. It contains a series of questions and other prompts. The respondents are provided with the questionnaire and their responses are recorded. It helps in statistical analysis of responses. Questionnaires help in recording standardised data and are cheaper than other survey methods. Improper scaling of questions, inappropriate questions and incorrect ordering of questions will make the research valueless as the responses will not be properly recorded. It is also important to check the questionnaire by placing it before a smaller subset of the population.
For this research, the questionnaire will contain the same set of questions for both media and non-media students of Bangalore. Before placing the questions before the actual sample a pre-test will be done by placing the questionnaire before the students of MS in Communication of Christ University. The researcher will then use both online and offline methods to record the responses of the actual sample.
Statistical surveys are carried out with the aim of determining statistical inferences on the population being studied. The researcher will conduct the survey on a
16 sample of 150 students comprising of both media and non-media background. The researcher will use a simple random sampling method to draw the respondents. A simple random sampling is a method where all subsets in a given frame enjoy equal probability. This method is best suited because it will minimise bias and ease the analysis of data and estimate result-accuracy. The responses will be recorded and later statistically analysed to find out the perception of paid news among media students in
Bangalore and the same a comparison of the same will be done based on the responses of non-media students.
Epistemology is ‚the study of the nature of knowledge and reasoning‛ and the issues about an adequate theory of knowledge or reasoning strategy are called epistemological issue. In short epistemology can be deliberated as the reasoning of knowledge. In epistemology there are two concepts Realism and Idealism, an epistemological realism is the idea that the observable characteristics that exist in an object is independent of the observer. Also epistemological idealism is the idea that the characteristics exist in the mind of the observer independent of the object. For example
‘when a human dies his soul leaves the body’ in this case an idealist will believe that there is no proof to interpret that the soul actually left the body after a humans death so in turn the assumption is also wrong, but a epistemological realist even if there is any eye witness present to see the phenomenon or not will believe that the soul will leave the body as the human body is deceased and has fulfilled its lifetime. But there is always this complication of many people not being strictly idealists or realists and their answers are usually that the results depends on the other surrounding factors of the situation.
The concept of realism gives birth to positivism where the world is real, and the way to understand it is through empirical studies, through empiricism comes positivism.
And through idealism the whole world is a set of ideas, it is subjective and they come together to construct reality, opposed to verbalism it is constructivism. Positivism is where we test a hypothesis in an artificial setting and try and understand if it still stands accurate. For example an experiment started in Vienna for creating a perfect language, based on the assumption that only truth can be grammatically correct, started as a theory of meaning. Meaning is anything which has a truth value, anything which cannot be
17 verified as meaningless. According to positivist, verification is possible only through
Empirical, Analytical or logical explanations.
Concept of falsification to positivism introduced by Karl Popper says a good theory must be falsifiable. Falsification is certain in order to prove not all swans are white, just go for finding the black swan. As in if you’re trying to prove that the objectivity of news channels are lost, then try and prove the content of the news channel as biased towards some celebrity or organization.
Research is a process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting information to answer questions. But to qualify as research, the process must have certain characteristics: it must, as far as possible, be controlled, rigorous, systematic, valid and verifiable, empirical and critical. 3.2 Controlled In real life there are many factors that affect an outcome. The concept of control implies that, in exploring causality in relation to two variables (factors), you set up your study in a way that minimizes the effects of other factors affecting the relationship.
This can be achieved to a large extent in the physical sciences, as most of the research is done in a laboratory. However, in the social sciences it is extremely difficult as research is carried out on issues related to human beings living in society, where such controls are not possible. Therefore in social sciences we cannot control external factors, we attempt to quantify their impact. 3.3 Rigorous We must be scrupulous in ensuring that the procedures followed to find answers to questions are relevant, appropriate and justified. Again, the degree of rigor varies markedly between the physical and social sciences and within the social sciences. 3.3 Systematic This implies that the procedure adopted to undertake an investigation follow a certain logical sequence. The different steps cannot be taken in a haphazard way. Some procedures must follow others. 3.4 Valid and Verifiable This concept implies that whatever you conclude on the basis of your findings is correct and can be verified by you and others.
18
3.5 Empirical This means that any conclusion drawn is based upon hard evidence gathered from information collected from real life experiences or observations. 3.6 Critical This concept implies the critical scrutiny of the procedures used and the methods employed are crucial to a research enquiry. The process of investigation must be foolproof and free from drawbacks. The process adopted and the procedures used must be able to withstand critical scrutiny.
For a process to be called research, it is imperative that it has the above characteristics. 3.7 Types of Research: Research can be classified from three perspectives:
• Application of research study
• Objectives in undertaking the research
• Inquiry mode employed
From the point of view of application, there are two broad categories of research:
• Pure research and
• Applied research
Pure research involves developing and testing theories and hypothesis that are intellectually challenging to the researcher but may or may not have practical application at the present time or in the future. The knowledge produced through pure research is sought in order to add to the existing body of research methods.
Applied research is done to solve specific, practical questions; for policy formulation, administration and understanding of a phenomenon. It can be exploratory, but is usually descriptive. It is almost always done on the basis of basic research.
Applied research can be carried out by academic or industrial institutions. Often, an academic institution such as a university will have a specific applied research program funded by an industrial partner interested in that program.
19
From the viewpoint of objectives, a research can be classified as:
• Descriptive
• Correlation
• Explanatory
• Exploratory
Descriptive research attempts to describe systematically a situation, problem, phenomenon, service or programme, or provides information about, say, living condition of a community, or describes attitudes towards an issue.
Correlation research attempts to discover or establish the existence of a relationship/ interdependence between two or more aspects of a situation.
Explanatory research attempts to clarify why and how there is a relationship between two or more aspects of a situation or phenomenon.
Exploratory research is undertaken to explore an area where little is known or to investigate the possibilities of undertaking a particular research study (feasibility study / pilot study).
In practice most studies are a combination of the first three categories. But since the research is being compared with the existing model of the west it has to deal with all the above objectives. 3.8 Inquiry Mode: From the process adopted to find answer to research questions – the two approaches are:
• Structured approach
• Unstructured approach
3.8.1 Structured approach: The structured approach to inquiry is usually classified as quantitative research.
Here everything that forms the research process- objectives, design, sample, and the questions that you plan to ask of respondents- is predetermined. It is more appropriate to determine the extent of a problem, issue or phenomenon by quantifying the variation.
20 e.g. how many people have a particular problem? How many people hold a particular attitude?
3.8.2 Unstructured approach: The unstructured approach to inquiry is usually classified as qualitative research.
This approach allows flexibility in all aspects of the research process. It is more appropriate to explore the nature of a problem, issue or phenomenon without quantifying it.
Main objective is to describe the variation in a phenomenon, situation or attitude.
For example description of an observed situation, the historical enumeration of events, an account of different opinions different people have about an issue, description of working condition in a particular industry.
There are numerous differences between qualitative and quantitative measurement. Both approaches have their place in research. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. In many studies we have to combine both qualitative and quantitative approaches. 3.9 Quantitative Research: Quantitative Research options have been predetermined and a large number of respondents are involved. By definition, measurement must be objective, quantitative and statistically valid. Simply put, it’s about numbers, objective hard data. The sample size for a survey is calculated by statisticians using formulas to determine how large a sample size will be needed from a given population in order to achieve findings with an acceptable degree of accuracy. Generally, researchers seek sample sizes which yield findings with at least a 95% confidence interval (which means that if you repeat the survey 100 times, 95 times out of a hundred, you would get the same response), plus/minus a margin error of 5 percentage points. Many surveys are designed to produce a smaller margin of error.
Quantitative research has its own advantages. It helps the researcher to test and analyse data, which has a constructed theory framed. Data collection is quick. It is most preferred when the population is large. Data collected is concise, crisp and relevant.
Analysing the data gives the researcher a proper idea about the study, and what will it obtain from the responses.
21
However, it also has its disadvantages. The researcher will focus on testing the hypotheses rather than the theoretical framework. The result would be more abstract and generalized. The theoretical framework might not be understood by a common man. 3.10 Qualitative Research Qualitative Research is collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data by observing what people do and say. Whereas, quantitative research refers to counts and measures of things, qualitative research refers to the meanings, concepts, definitions, characteristics, metaphors, symbols, and descriptions of things.
Qualitative research is much more subjective than quantitative research and uses very different methods of collecting information, mainly individual, in-depth interviews and focus groups. The nature of this type of research is exploratory and open-ended.
Small numbers of people are interviewed in-depth and/or a relatively small number of focus groups are conducted.
Participants are asked to respond to general questions and the interviewer or group moderator probes and explores their responses to identify and define people’s perceptions, opinions and feelings about the topic or idea being discussed and to determine the degree of agreement that exists in the group. The quality of the finding from qualitative research is directly dependent upon the skills, experience and sensitive of the interviewer or group moderator.
This type of research is often less costly than surveys and is extremely effective in acquiring information about people’s communications needs and their responses to and views about specific communications.
Basically, quantitative research is objective; qualitative is subjective. Quantitative research seeks explanatory laws; qualitative research aims at in-depth description.
Qualitative research measures what it assumes to be a static reality in hopes of developing universal laws. Qualitative research is an exploration of what is assumed to be a dynamic reality. It does not claim that what is discovered in the process is universal, and thus, replicable. Common differences usually cited between these types of research include.
22
Qualitative research has its own advantages. It helps the researcher interpret the data in an explanatory form. It is responsive and the researcher determines a particular event. It is limited to a particular set of study.
However, it also has its own disadvantages. The result coming out from a qualitative study cannot be generalized. Questions asked are open-ended which makes it more difficult for the researcher to analyse. It also takes more time for data collection. 3.11 Expert Interview An in depth interview is a structured form of an interview method where respondents have to answer a set of questions in a systematic manner. The researcher expects a detailed analysis of the topic from the interview from the interview. The researcher also gets a proper understanding and clarity on the issue.
However, it also has its own disadvantages. Quantitative study is deemed to be more effective and standardized when compared to expert interview. The expert interview will provide a very subjective view of the researcher. It also provides a preconceived notion of the expert. It might not be accurate and might not suit the point of view of the researcher. There might be a personal bias in the answers of the expert.
23
Chapter 4 ANALYSIS
A news medium is a method for transmission of news, publicizing, or different messages from a data source to the general population, for example, a daily paper or radio. It contains news, assessments, gimmicks, and promoting. It should be a non-one- sided medium that is to execute the basic obligation of giving precise data. At first the respectable calling of Journalism just permitted the promotions to be a paid segment to manage the expense and make the medium available for all areas of the general public.
Nonetheless, recently, it is not just the notices that are paid for; the rest also can be controlled by the individuals who have the cash power. Today there are promotion peculiarities, one-sided suppositions and most startling "news" that is paid for. It is not that the marvel of Paid news is exceptionally later. It is just as of late those cases have been pinpointed and those affirmed have been addressed.
The Merriam-Webster word reference characterizes an "advertorial" as a promotion that emulates article group. It dates the inception of the saying to 1946. Paid news or paid substance are those articles in daily papers, magazines and the electronic media, which demonstrate great conditions for the foundation that has paid for it. The news is much like a promotion yet without the advertisement tag. This sort of news has been viewed as a genuine misbehavior since it bamboozles the residents, not telling them that the news is, indeed, a commercial. Paid news consequently is the act of offering over-burden envelopes as an exchange for 'target notice'. The sensation itself is not new, and has existed for quite a long time. What is really bringing about concern is that recently the practice has all the earmarks of being getting organized, not by degenerate individual columnists, yet rather by the distributers and media ventures themselves. It is said that a dichotomy is developing where on one hand, it has been accounted for that numerous media houses in India, independent of their volume of
business have begun offering news space after some understanding with government officials and corporate magnates masking such "commercials" as gimmicks and reports.
Then again, it is various concerned and powerful media persons' associations have demonstrated their worry with respect to the evil practices for the sake of news-casting that is occurring in the nation today. The thought of paid news is climbing like frenzy among an extraordinary numerous segments of concerned people. On the other hand, a dominant part of the natives remain wilfully dim-witted of the risk. Those of us, who are bit by bit getting to think about the pervasiveness of such a misbehaviour, feel baffled not frightened. As we have officially seen different misbehaviours like yellow reporting, one-sided perspectives, advertorials, and so forth. Subsequently, paid news is a greater amount of an expansion to a long rundown instead of an individual danger. The magazines have scope of paid substance, which they act like data. What is making it unsatisfactory was that the political gatherings and corporate magnates are presently utilizing this as an issue to assemble a positive view according to clueless masses. These examples are a grave abuse of the right of flexibility of press. Daily paper readers are presented to these sorts of controlled articles constantly. I need to lead this study to figure out how 'paid news' impact the mentality of the readers; whether the readers comprehend that the news article they are perusing is really paid for by somebody and do they purchase the data being given by the article.
The scientist has led a quantitative review to investigate the reactions of the Due to absence of time the analyst could lead the study just among 50 understudies. This exploration goes for discovering the view of paid news among media and non-media understudies in Bangalore and after that looks at them. The survey is given toward the end of this examination. In this exploration, the analyst attempted to figure out the distinction in media and non-media understudy comprehends of paid news. The scientist attempted to get some answers concerning the propensity for news perusing among respondents, since when are they perusing daily papers, and their insight about paid news. The scientist had utilized IBM's SPSS to measurably examine the information gathered from the respondents.
The analysis is as follows :-
25
Female 38% Male Female
Male 62%
Figure 1: Specify your gender.
The respondents were asked to specify their gender. This chart brings out the gender distribution among the respondents. Through the graph, we can see that out of the total number of respondents, 93 were male and 57 were female.
26
Undergraduate, Undergraduate Post- 70 Graduate, 80 Post-Graduate
Figure 2: Are you an under-graduate student or post-graduate student?
This graph provides us with the distribution of undergraduate and postgraduate students among the respondents. Out of the 150 students surveyed 70 were undergraduate students and 80 were post graduate students.
27
Non-Media Studnets, 71 Media Media, 79 Non-Media Studnets
Figure 3: Are you a media or non-media student?
This graph represents the distribution of media and non-media students among the respondents. The number of media students is 79 while the number of non-media students is 71.
28
Media Students Non-Media Students
39
31 32 27
12 9
Indepth Knowledge I have a fair knowledge I know very little about but not in-depth news and current affairs
Figure 4: Specify your knowledge of current affairs.
The above chart represents the knowledge of current affairs among the respondents. Three choices were provided to respondents – in depth knowledge, fair knowledge and little knowledge. 43 respondents told that they have in depth knowledge of current affairs while 66 and 41 respondents have told that they have fair knowledge and little knowledge about current affairs respectively.
Out of the 43 respondents having in-depth knowledge of current affairs there were 31 media students and 12 non-media students. Out of the 66 respondents having a fair knowledge of current affairs, 39 were media students and 27 were non-media students. And out of the 41 respondents having little knowledge about current affairs 9 were media students and 32 were non-media students.
When the researcher analysed the correlation between being a media or non- media student and their knowledge of current affairs, it was found that there is a direct correlation among them. Media students are more knowledgeable about current affairs
29 as more media students responded that they have an in depth knowledge and fair knowledge of current affairs than the non-media students.
There also direct correlation between under-graduate or post-graduate student and knowledge about current affairs. More post-graduate students responded having an in-depth and fair knowledge of current affairs.
30
Media Students Non-media students
32
24 21 21
16 13 13 10
Everyday Thrice weekly Once a week Rarely
Figure 5: How often do you read newspapers?
The above pie chart represents the responses of the students when asked about their newspaper reading habits. The researcher provided four choices to the respondents when asked how often they read newspapers. 45 students said they read newspapers regularly, 45 students said that they read newspapers thrice a week, 29 students said that they read newspapers once in a week and 31 of the students said that they read newspapers rarely.
Out of the 45 students reading newspapers daily 32 were media students while
13 were non-media students. Out of the 45 students reading newspapers thrice weekly
24 were media students and 21 were non-media students. Out of the 29 students reading newspapers once a week 13 were media students and 16 were non-media students. And out of the 31 students reading newspapers rarely, 10 were media students and 21 were non-media students.
When the data was analysed on SPSS, the researcher found out that that the reading of newspapers is more prevalent among media and post graduate students. And there is also a direct correlation between reading newspapers regularly and the knowledge of current affairs. 31
More than 10 years, 16 Less than 1 year, 31
More than 10 years 5-10 years, 24 5-10 years 1-5 years Less than 1 year
1-5 years, 79
Figure 6: Since when have you been reading newspapers?
This question was asked to understand how much time the respondents have been a regular follower of news and current affairs.
The majority of the respondents have been reading newspapers since 1-5 years.
Another big chunk of the respondents are reading newspapers since less than one year.
Most post graduate media students have been reading newspapers since the 5-10 periods. An interesting fact is that a number of non-media students have also been reading newspapers since 10 or more years. This explains a lot about the knowledge of current affairs among the respondents.
32
Online, 47
Print Online
Print, 103
Figure 7: Your preferred medium of news reading?
This graph shows the preferred medium of reading newspapers among the respondents. The rise of the internet in the urban spaces has led to the decline of print as a news medium in many countries. Internet penetration in India is on a rise with better internet speeds and connectivity for the users. Thus many people are turning towards the online or new media for their daily dose of news. This is evident from the above graph when young students are reading news online rather than the print medium.
When the researcher asked the students about their preferred source of news, 103 of them responded online as their preferred medium and 47 told that they still look forward to the print medium for news and information.
33
Deccan Chronicle, 9 Others, 13
Deccan Times of India Herald, 11 The Hindu Deccan Herald
The Hindu, 31 Times of Deccan Chronicle India, 86 Others
Figure 8: Which English newspaper do you read?
Times of India boast of a huge circulation. They have used various means to reach this feat over the years. However, the Hindu based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu also have a strong reader base especially in the southern states of India. Deccan Chronicle and Deccan herald are also very popular in Bangalore. The above pie chart represents the most preferred English newspapers that the respondents read. It was found out that majority of the respondents read Times of India followed by The Hindu, Deccan Herald and the Deccan Chronicle. Other newspaper like Economic Times (a sister publication of
Times of India) are also read by respondents.
34
Yes, 61 Yes No No, 89
Figure 9: Do you read regional newspapers?
There have been a lot of instances where regional newspapers were allegedly carrying ‘paid’ news. Number of times the allegations have been proved. It is seen that the phenomenon of paid news is much more prevalent among vernacular language newspapers and regional newspapers, especially before the election days. The researcher asked this question to see whether respondents know what is being published in the regional and vernacular language newspapers. 61 respondents said that they also read regional and vernacular language newspapers along with English newspapers. Vijaya
Karnataka and Prajavani were the most common Kannada newspapers among the respondents who also read regional newspapers. However, 89 respondents do not read regional newspapers. The researcher believes that the sample chosen for the survey had a number of students from outside the state, especially from the Northern and Eastern side of India. For this reason they do not get a chance to read their vernacular newspapers here in Bangalore.
35
No, 33
Yes No
Yes, 117
Figure 10 Are you aware of the phenomenon of 'paid news'?
The respondents were asked whether or not they have knowledge about the phenomenon of ‘paid news’. The above chart represents their responses. 117 respondents have knowledge about the phenomenon while 33 respondents do not.
When analysed on IBM SPSS, it is found out that the knowledge of paid news is more among post graduate media students. It is also dependent on the regularity of newspaper reading. Those who said that they read newspapers regularly also said that they have knowledge of paid news. Gender does not play any role on the respondent’s knowledge of paid news.
36
Media Students Non-Media Students
37
28
23 19 15 13 11
4
Everyday Often Rarely Never
Figure 11: How often do you come across 'paid news'?
This question was asked to find out how often do the respondents come across news articles that they believe are paid for. 37 media students and 13 non-media students said that they come across paid news on a daily basis. 23 media and 19 non- media students come across paid news often. 15 media and 11 non-media students find paid news rarely. While 4 media and 28 non-media students come never come across paid news.
When the response were analysed using IBM SPSS, it was found that those students who are regular readers of the Times of India come across paid news daily or very often.
37
Media Students Non-Media students
59
39
32
20
Yes No
Figure 12: Knowledge of ‘private treaties’.
This chart represents the knowledge of the respondents about private treaties prevailing between BCCL and other corporate companies. A private treaty is the practice where a newspaper enters into ad-for-equity deals with private firms. In other words, newspapers promise advertising in exchange for equity in the company. Often, such clients of publishing companies get favourable coverage. Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd, the country’s largest print media house that publishes The Times of India and The
Economic Times, pioneered the ‚private treaties‛ business in 2004. The treaties allowed
BCCL to pick up equity stakes in firms in return for promoting those ‚partners‛ via long-term advertising and promotion deals. The business now operates under Brand
Capital. These private treaties were in middle of a large controversy when Times of India did not name a real estate developer when an accident took place at their site
(D'ROZARIO, 2008).
59 media students and 32 non-media students told that they have knowledge about private treaties prevailing between BCCL and other corporations. While, 20 media
38 students and 39 non-media students said that they do not have knowledge about the phenomenon.
When analysed it was seen that post graduate media students are more knowledgeable about the phenomenon than the others. Those reading newspapers other than Times of India also know about them.
Media Students Non-media students
35
28 24 25
15 12 8
3
Font Style of writing Both Nothing
Figure 13: Difference between a news article and an advertorial?
The respondents were asked if they can differentiate between an advertorial and a news article. The points of difference were also to be mentioned. The chart above depicts the data collected. 24 media and 15 non-media students said that they find a difference in the font used in an advertorial and a legitimate news article. 12 media and
28 non-media students find a difference in the style of writing. While a news article would have a more objective and factual approach, an advertorial would have a more subjective view and an obvious support to the company being advertised will be present. 35 media and 3 non-media students said that they find a difference of both font and the style of writing in between a news article and an advertorial. 8 media and 25 non-media students said they do not find any difference whatsoever. When analysed, these students are the same students who are not aware of the phenomenon of paid news. 39
However, the media students could differentiate between the two. Some responded that the font size and style differs between the two and some said the style of writing was different in case of paid news.
Others, 11
Political Real Estate Milestones, 30 Real Estate, 56 Health Care Automobile Travel and Tourism Travel and Political Milestones Tourism, 12 Others
Automobile, 23 Health Care, 18
Figure 14: Which sector is projected the most through advertorials?
The respondents were asked which sector is projected the most through advertorials according to them. 56 students said that the real estate sector is projected the most through the advertorials. While, 23, 18 and 12 students said that the automobile, health care, travel and tourism industry is projected through advertorials respectively.
30 students said advertorials are also found advertising the political milestones achieved by a leader or political party.
40
No, 37
Yes No
Yes, 113
Figure 15: Do you find advertorials misleading?
The respondents were asked whether or not they find advertorials misleading.
113 students responded by saying yes while the rest said no. The respondents who said that they find advertorials misleading were further asked in what ways they find them misleading. Most of them said that the advertorials are sometimes written in such a way that a layman would mistake it for a news article. Also the facts are distorted frequently.
Some also commented that politicians are trying to gain publicity through these advertorials.
41
4.1 Expert Interview The researcher conducted an in-depth interview with Mr. Sarthak Ganguly who is a journalist working with the Times of India. The interview was conducted to get a proper understanding of ‘paid news’ and the reasons behind its rise.
According to him, the corporatization of news media is the major force behind the rise of paid news in India. He said,‛ I am working in this industry for more than 14 years and have seen changes taking place in front of my eyes. Advertisers are running
Indian journalism now. And this is no surprise; they are paying for our daily needs, the newspaper; so why not decide the content.‛
The power of the marketing department in all news organization have increased manifold over the years. In most organizations, the marketing department determines the editorial content. In such a scenario it is all the more obvious that honest journalism will be compromised for easy money through paid content.
The advertisers are ready to pay for an extra supplement with the main paper if their content is being published. So, we provide so many supplements with the main paper.
On asking whether this phenomenon will die out in the future he says that it is very difficult to stop the practice. Since print is dying a slow death all over the world,
Indian newspapers are trying its best to stay in the market and compete with newer forms of media. So, they will employ all possible means to reap profit out of the news business. Advertisers and newspaper owners are coming up with newer strategies like
‘private treaties’ to bring in more money in the business of news. Although there are honest journalists fighting for the cause of Indian journalism but numbers are diminishing. After all it is the advertisers paying for their writings, he added.
42
Chapter 5 CONCLUSION
To conclude with the study the researcher mainly took advertorials to analyse the perception of paid news among the media students. The study also takes into account the responses from non-media students and makes a comparison with those of the media students in Bangalore.
One of the obstacles is the lack of time in conducting an extensive study on the topic under consideration. Bangalore is home to thousands of media and non-media students and the researcher could get responses only from 150 respondents.
Nonetheless, the research was a fruitful experience and has thus enabled the researcher to identify parameters and instances, which has to be kept in mind in the course of any further researches that would be conducted by him.
Advertorials as a form of paid news is very popular in Indian newspapers.
Journalists are also accepting junkets and freebies to write favourable news articles for a person or company. Treaties are being forged by major newspaper organizations and other companies which are fuelling the industry of paid news. These treaties are helping corporations to put forward a clean image in the society.
From the data collected the researcher interpreted that media students in general and post graduate media students in particular have more knowledge of the phenomenon of paid news. They have said that the Press Council of India should take more harsh measures against newspapers indulging in this type of journalism. Media students also believe that those corporations and personalities paying the news organizations for publishing favourable content about them should be equally penalized.
Such practices bar truth from reaching the public and prove to be an obstruction to
ethical journalism. Public has the right to know about their environment. Such practices provide a biased opinion to the public.
When asked about their opinion on paid news, the respondents told that it is a black mark on Indian journalism. Apart from bigger corporations, corrupt politicians are also using this phenomenon to gain publicity and public trust. Through the mask of
‘paid news’ products are being sold. Common people are getting duped over and over again.
Respondents believe that the phenomenon of paid news is more prevalent in the regional language media. Regional media is more powerful in a country like India.
Politicians are trying to fool the voters using this phenomenon. The respondents have also named various politicians like Ashok Chavan and Sandeep Dikshit who were involved in scandals involving paid news.
Media students in Bangalore are more informed about the phenomenon in
Bangalore. Although there are a number of non-media students who believe paid news is bad for the society but they cannot make out how they are affecting the society. Media students, especially in the post graduate level know how media is influencing the minds of the common people. Thus, they believe there must be some sort of self-regulation to be placed on the leading newspapers in the country. The media houses should think of other revenue methods rather than making money through cheaper methods like getting paid for publishing favourable content about a person, party or company.
Non-media students are not sure as to how the regulatory bodies of Indian press can keep a tab such cheap practices. While many media students is of the opinion that erring newspapers should be censured and fined if fund indulging in the practice of
‘paid news’. However, they also know that such a measure is very difficult to implement as corporations like the BCCL is powerful enough to stop such legislations from getting passed.
Both media and non-media students are of the opinion that steps should be taken against corporations and people who are paying money to get favourable content about them published in newspapers in form of legitimate news article. They both have said that politicians should be banned from contesting elections by the Indian Election
Commission if found guilty of paying the press for favourable content. Corporations
44 should be heavily fined according them. However, they have failed to provide a proper framework for the same.
There are differences between media and non-media students in their knowledge of current affairs. Media students are more informed. It is also seen that media students are more inclined towards reading newspapers than their non-media counterparts.
Media students look at paid news from a very different perspective. According to them, the phenomenon of paid news is cheap and misleading for the common public. And since they might join the field of media in the near future they believe that such a practice should be banned, by force if necessary. Legislations should be passed to bring the guilty to justice. In a country like India where there are so many newspapers and such a huge following of print media, such a practice would send out a bad message society. And since print media is so influential in the society publishing of such false articles in the news media would lead to an improper understanding of the society we are living in.
On the other hand, non-media students are not that bothered in taking adverse steps to take out such a phenomenon. However, they also believe that the phenomenon of paid news will be detrimental to the Indian society in the long run.
45
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Anindita Banerjee, N. G. (June 2011). Paid News- Economic Rules. Global Media
Journal .
Craig, L. C. (1992). Advertising Pressures on Newspapers: A Survey. Journal of
Advertising , 21, pp. 1-10.
D'ROZARIO, C. (2008, June 17). http://www.thehoot.org/. Retrieved 2014, from http://www.thehoot.org/: http://www.thehoot.org/web/home/story.php?storyid=3174§ionId=4
D'Rozario, C. (2008, June 17). The Hoot. Retrieved June 28, 2014, from The Hoot: http://www.thehoot.org/web/home/story.php?storyid=3174&mod=1&pg=1§ionId=4
&valid=true
J. B. Wilkinson, D. R. (1995). Reader Categorization of a Controversial
Communication: Advertisement versus Editorial. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing , 14
(No 2), pp. 245-254.
Nabi, M. Z. (2014). Media-Marketing Paradigm- an analytical study of Paid News in Indian Media. Global Journal for Research Analysis , 3 (2).
Sanghvi, V. (2003, February 16). The Choice is Yours. Hindustan Times .
Steinem, G. (1990, July/August). Sex, Lies and Advertising. Ms. , pp. pp. 18-28.
46
APPEDNDICES Questionnaire
1. Please specify your gender.
• Male
• Female
2. Are you a media or non-media student?
• Media Student
• Non-media Student
3. Are you an Undergraduate or Post-graduate student?
• Undergraduate
• Postgraduate
4. Please specify your knowledge about current affairs.
• In depth.
• I have a fair knowledge but not in-depth.
• I know very little about news.
5. How often do you read newspapers?
• Everyday
• Thrice weekly
• Once a week
• Rarely
6. Your preferred medium of news reading?
• Online
7. Which English newspaper do you prefer the most?
• Times of India
• The Hindu
• Deccan Herald
• Daily News and Analysis
• Others-
8. Do you read regional newspapers too?
• Yes
• No
9. Since when are you following the newspaper?
• 10 or more years
• 5-10 years
• 1-5 years
• Less than 1 year
10. Are you aware of the concept of Paid News?
• Yes
• No
11. How often do you come across news articles favouring a particular
product, company or personality?
• Everyday
• Often
• Rarely
• Never
12. Are you aware of ‘Private Treaties’ between Times of India group and various other companies?
• Yes
• No
13. Rate yourself.
• I can easily spot the difference between paid news and original news.
• I sometimes find out the difference.
• I rarely understand the difference.
14. What difference do you find between a news article and advertorial?
• In the font.
• In the style of writing
• Both
• Looks similar
48
15. Do you think present advertorials are misleading?
• Yes .In what ways______
• No
16. According to you, what sector is most projected through advertorials?
Real Estate
Automobile
Political Milestones
Travel and Tourism
Healthcare
Others
17. Please provide your opinion on paid news in a few words.
18. Do you know about cases where politicians were accused of paid news?
• Yes. Please name______
• No.
19. What steps are necessary to stop this practice? Please answer in a few words.