Indore: Expressing concern over the issue of
"paid news", the Press Council of India has said it would
issue a white paper on the malpractice which had become
prominent during the last general election.
"We are very much concerned over complaints of media
taking money for publishing reports. We are going to issue a
white paper on it," PCI Chairman Justice G N Ray told
reporters here last night.
"We will talk to people belonging to a cross section of
society and collect information for issuing white paper," the
former Supreme Court Judge said.
Earning profit was important for the media but it should
not be in contradiction to the principles of democracy. It
also whittles the foundations of journalism, he said.
The spectre of selling news space in lieu of money
reached "alarming proportions" during the last Lok Sabha
elections, resulting in demands of stringent action against
the perpetrators since it compromises the essence of a free
press.
The Centre too last month had said it was mulling over
giving more powers to the PCI to tackle the "paid news
syndrome" that was influencing the functioning of a free
press.
PTI
