Paid news and its influence on elections.

Paid news and its influence on elections.

A phenomena known as "paid news" describes the routine practise of newspapers, periodicals, or electronic media in which favourable pieces are regularly published in exchange for money. This form of journalism, which functions much like an advertisement, is sponsored by politicians, businesspeople, or celebrities in an effort to boost their public image or further their political agendas. It is a significant malpractice since it misleads the public by not disclosing that the news is actually an advertisement. Because the media has a direct impact on voters, it has more severely highlighted electoral issues..
The Election Commission of India has detected hundreds of cases where politicians paid newspapers or TV channels to carry favourable reports. The payment modes violate tax laws and election spending laws. The increasing incidences of manipulated news reporting aimed at influencing electoral results alarmed the Press Council of India too. The Press Council of India then recommended guidelines which say that news should be clearly demarcated from advertisements. As far as news is concerned, it must always carry a credit line and should be set in a fashion that would distinguish it from advertisements. News is meant to be objective, fair and unbiased. This is the only difference between news and opinions.
Political parties and media groups had approached the Commission requesting for stringent steps against paid news. Paid news should be made an electoral offense under RP Act, 1951 and existing mechanisms of expenditure ceiling should be used to curb the menace.