In response to questions put to the newspaper by The Hindu, an editorial spokesman for The Times of India asserted: “The reports (of 2008) were written very honestly and in good faith…” He said the 2008 page was the outcome of “a field visit organised by Monsanto for journalists from Nagpur.” The spokesman held that “as is the practice on such paid trips, the report mentioned” that it was arranged by the concerned company. He said he was “clueless” as to how the same story “appeared in Mumbai editions three years down the line as a consumer initiative too. It must have been picked up by Response.” He also had no idea about the full page in August 2011 being “followed by several advertisements.”
On the question of where some of those photographs were really taken, the spokesman said that was “something we don't have an answer [to] as of now.” Other journalists were indeed on that trip. But the full-page, repeated three years later as an advertisement was exclusive to the TOI. The spokesman asserted that “the reporters were not paid for the reports that appeared in Nagpur.” (However, it was neither The Hindu's query nor case that the reporters had been paid anything. The question was whether the news stories had also been sponsored).
The MMB spokesperson asserted: “It is incorrect to refer to their news report as paid news, as this was editorial coverage based on the visit and interactions with farmers.”
Keywords: Times of India Bt Cotton report, Bhambraja farmer suicides, Mahyco-Monsanto Biotech, agri-biotech industry, Maregaon farmers, Bt Cotton farming, paid news
I'm loving this. I long for the day when 'The Hindu' takes its rightful place as the most read newspaper in India. You are one of the rare shining lights among today's fast dimming media enerprises with uncompromised quality and highest journalistic standards. I suggest you build an individual presence in electronic media(w/o NDTV) and show others how to run a clean media channel which can help make a real difference to the lives of its audience. If I'm allowed to fantasize in this space, I would even dream of 'The Hindu' expanding into regional languages to highlight & help root out various region specific problems faced by this diverse country.
Praising the hindu is of no use since it seems to have never mede serious attempts to reach out to whole of India.I have always loved to read the hindu yet disappointed of the fact I can't get it in many parts of north and even eastern India.In the meantime people have to be satisfied with shamelessly commercial TOI. Typical of good not wanting to prevent bad is as good as another bad applies to the hindu.
Good Journalism is most vital for a healthy Democracy. 'The Hindu' belongs to the breed of media, so rare nowadays, that cares about the ordinary people. P. Sainath says that there is no dearth of young, motivated, progressive Journalists in India. It is just that they lack a good environment to flourish. Journalists are not paid enough and serious Journalism is usually not the stuff that mainstream media wants. With 24x7 news channels, you would expect them to cover almost all the important issues that the society faced / facing / might face. Would you call reports that were the outcome of a field trip organised by Monsanto independent? As their spokesman said, let us assume that the reports were written very honestly and in good faith. Could it be said that the most widely read English newspaper in India was and is unfamiliar with ground reality?
As an Indian who lives in the US, the country which spawned the diabolical entity that is Monsanto, I am ashamed and outraged that both the free press and the politicians in India have allowed an external power to manipulate policies which hurt not only these poor farmers and agricultural integrity in India, but the sovereignty of India in these matters. Not that it's a surprise--just another form of the Raj all over again. When will corruption in India end so that some of its recent economic boom trickles down to its most neglected citizens?
Once again a very good piece of journalism by the Hindu and
P.Sainath.The response of TOI only reflects the kind of journalism
they have been nurturing after the reforms project was taken up at the
initiative of Rupert Mudrock. The age of agri-multinationals began
with the so called green revolution. Now it has reached the ultimate
stage. The legislators are paid, the judiciary is paid, the
bureaucracy starts with money and how can we expect the media which is
part of corporate sector to remain neutral and independent ! The Hindu
continues to be an exception. We hope, it will continue this role in
future too. Sudhir
Thank you
This is cutting edge journalism
Unfortunately, all that we read (without verification) forms our
general know-how and soon our opinion...!!
Do keep up the spirit of excellence - unbiased journalism - truth at
all times...!!
Regards.
Dr. A. N. Bhadalkar
Alt. email: GujaratBiotech@gmail.com | anandbhadalkar@gmail.com
Both 'Times of India' and 'The Hindu' represent the great Indian Democracy amongst several news papers. The tragedy of India is that brainy & sincere people hardly opt for politics or journalism putting the nation in eternal jeopardy.
Amazing. This kind of questioning I believe was overdue for some
time. Authenticity of TOI is gone. TOI is not a national newspaper
it is a tabloid or Page 3 or in short national shame. I have been a
reader or The Hindu for long time but used to see TOI as well. But
now I along with my friends have completely shifted to The Hindu.
<quote> He said he was “clueless” as to how the same story “appeared in Mumbai editions three years down the line as a consumer initiative too <unquote>
Clueless being the operative word. I feel the author of the original report was clueless too.
I was expecting a counter editorial by an editor of TOI in the Hindu as response. Instead all I got is a series of blabber from a spokesperson.
I have always hated TOI, its like the newspaper for the "gandhiclass" in theaters... (though sadly it lowers the dignity of the Father of the nation) I mean those cheap fellows who can't think of their own and are lured by sports and low quality reports on films and girls in films and whores (whats her name who's new in bollywood).
I've given up on Bollywood too.. thats another story.. Keep up the good work Hindu. and make India proud.
This is a sign of matured democratic journalisum, when some one, how poerfull he may be, is wrong another should ask him questions.
The formost motto of Journalisum should be, "to bring truth to the notice of masses".
I have been reading 'The Hindu' scince last 6 mounths really it is the best in India. Even though you are having a nationalr each I know why you have kept yourself confined to southern India. Its my heartest request to you to come to Maharashtra so that we are able to read & grow high with The Hindu.
Its high time The Hindu starts a news channel (TV media), not the one with NDTV. So
such standards are maintained in the TV media too.
What else can you expect from the number 1 English daily... there is a
reason to its status as No 1.. it has forsaken "reason" to reach out to
a reasonable number of "readers"..its our mistake, not TOI's that we
read it
TOI is India's No. 1 tabloid pretending to be a credible news source in a market where public awareness is low and colonial. It has the lowest(almost non-existent) editorial standards anywhere in the world and continues to sell by publishing populist and Bollywood masaala stories which appeal to the "aam aadmi" Hinglish speakers. Anywhere else in the English speaking world, this tabloid would be considered an affront to the readers by calling itself a "Newspaper". The Hindu being India's National newspaper should take it upon itself to teach India the difference between a Newspaper and a Tabloid. That would set straight who India's No. 1 Newspaper really is.
Thank You THE HINDU. Wonderful piece of Journalism. This article is a testimony of the high standards of the Journalism maintained by THE HINDU.
I am not sure if this is polite, but nothing comes to mind when
describing this TOI response except 'lame'.
I pride myself on being non-partisan when it comes to news publications,
but this is a pretty pathetic response. "Semantic twaddle", is what I'd
call it, reminiscent of bureaucratic tongue twisting.
I have been a reader of "The Hindu" and "Times of India". On an honest opinion of a reader I would like to state that The Times is a purely commercial Newspaper who means Money and Sales as the objective. This is a newspaper who has a good reach amongst its readers and any advertisement would go popular. The Newspaper has more advertisement that any news in it. The News it carries would also be biased and one sided. To be honest it does not stand with the Ethics of What a Newspaper or Media needs to oblige for the society. The case of The Hindu is that this is a newspaper which is only for intellectuals.It opens the eyes of its readers and creates a sense of awareness amongst its readers. Its reading reach could not be as high as The Times as the objective is not money but Quality.In the longer run with FDI in Media, the The Hindu can survive. Times runs its sales with free gifts and accessories and that is not the way how a newspaper sells.
The MMB spokesperson asserted: "It is incorrect to refer to their news report as paid news, as this was editorial coverage based on the visit and interactions with farmers." >Why does it give me a feeling that it is actually a paid news, but the MMB is offering a perspective for us to see it as a genuine article? Any day, Hindu is far far better than TOI. It is infact sad that a mighty newspaper like Hindu has to compete with something like TOI.
Fantastic... Please continue to question the integrity of reports in other newspapers and expand the net to shed light on some poor quality electronic news media (TV reports on news channels)... Standard of news media in our country is falling... But, an article such as this reinforces some faith in the role of print media. Thank you...
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