Wednesday, February 10, 2010

how much to pay for good coverage: TOI - toilet paper of india

feb 9th, 2010

we knew this, now mid-day has published the rates.

bloody cheap!

if you prostitute yourself, at least have some self-respect. this is the problem with indian politicians too -- folks, demand some more money at the least when you sell out to the highest bidder!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <info

Dirty laundry at the Times of India
By Raja M

MUMBAI - It's official: the world's largest-circulated English daily has been involved in some shady business. Exposing a long-known trade fact, a leading Mumbai English tabloid, Mid-Day, last week published the "rates" for purchasing editorial features in the Times of India. The Times has not issued a denial, and the rogue rate card seems to be the latest indicator of rotting media ethics and tolerance in India for corruption.

For sums ranging from US$45,000 to $66,000, the Mid-Day story alleged, one could buy a news feature plugging their business, get interviewed (the business owner supplies the questions and answers themselves) and have their picture published on the much-scorned Page 3 of the Bombay Times, the city supplement of the Times of India.

In the United States or the United Kingdom, uproar would have erupted after the expose. But the Times of India (TOI) was not even pressed to explain the allegation to its 4.5 million estimated readers, or to any regulatory body. Instead, some attempted to defend the indefensible. Shobhaa De, novelist and acidic columnist, incredibly called the TOI move "brave" and the "future of journalism", never mind the reader being taken for a ride, if not criminal fraud, with no distinct boundaries marked between news and advertisements.

... deleted


although i find it hard to take atimes seriously, this is entertaining.

1 comment:

Arvind said...

This news item is from 2004. This is true. TOI admitted it at that time and other newspapers carried stories on it.