Free Speech

Why Mamata Banerjee's Alleged "Positive News For Govt Ads" Offer Is A Step Towards Godi Media 2.0??? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqyA1Ai0GkI 

"The video was shared by the Twitter handle of Mumbai Press Club. In it, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee is purportedly seen having a media interaction. Similar video was shared by BJP spokespersons too. In the video, a journalist is purportedly heard asking West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee that Rural Newspapers do not get advertisement from the govt. and because of that it is difficult for them to survive. To which Banerjee replies and allegedly says “If you were to publish more positive news about things that the government is doing, then I’ll tell the DM personally to give you guys more ads.”
The Mumbai Press Club criticized mamata banerjee for the statement. It said, ""Releasing ads to buy news media has long been used by all governments to undermine the press. It's a powerful tool to cultivate loyalty. This time Mamata Banerjee, CM of West Bengal, crossed the line by openly offering govt ads for favorable reporting.""
Deploring the statement, it said that This is a threat to the freedom of the press.   

Supreme Court Stays Further Proceedings In FIRs Registered Against HW Networks Journalists Mehal Jain 8 Dec 2021

https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/tripura-violence-supreme-court-stays-further-proceedings-in-firs-registered-against-hw-networks-journalists-187166

The bench headed by Justice D. Y. Chandrachud also stayed all further proceedings pursuant to the FIRs dated 14.11.2021 and 18.11.2021. 

The petitioners argue that the FIRs amount to "targeted harassment of press". "If the State is allowed to criminalize the very act of fact-finding and unbiased reporting then the only facts that will come in the public domain are those that are convenient to  the State due to the 'chilling effect on the freedom of speech and expression of members of civil society. If the quest for truth and reporting thereo itself is criminalized then the victim in the process is the idea of justice"

SC stays probe against HW News journalists over Tripura violence reports https://www.newslaundry.com/2021/12/08/sc-stays-probe-against-hw-news-journalists-over-tripura-violence-reports 

The journalists had reported on a mosque being burned down during the violence that erupted after a VHP rally on October 26. Tripura police had then claimed they were “maligning” the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the BJP-led state government”.  They were granted bail by the Chief Judicial Magistrate court in Gomati district on November 15.

In a statement, the Editors Guild of India had noted that the police action against Singh and others was an “extremely disturbing trend” where a “harsh law...is being used for merely reporting on and protesting against communal violence”.

“The Guild is of the opinion that this is an attempt by the state government to deflect attention away from its own failure to control majoritarian violence, as well as to take action against the perpetrators of this.”

Reporter’s diary: Tripura government’s allergic reaction to journalism  Ayush Tiwari 27 Nov, 2021 https://www.newslaundry.com/2021/12/08/2021/11/27/reporters-diary-tripura-governments-allergic-reaction-to-journalism 
The state used police to prevent the ‘negative’ word about the violence from getting out. To this end, journalists, civil society members and even locals faced intimidation, interrogations and arrests.

That evening, Nath,  the area’s sub divisional police officer, or SDPO, intercepted me again near the charred mosque. “Only positive, huh?” he said, exceeding his authority once again. “I don’t want the peace here to be spoilt by negative things.” ..

The Tripura police’s high-handedness went beyond journalists. Civil society members – dubbed the “new frontiers of war” by national security advisor Ajit Doval – faced the wrath too. On November 3, it booked two advocates from Delhi, Ansar Indori and Mukesh, under section 13 of the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, or UAPA, for their social media posts on the violence .

डंकापति का Income Tax वाला Survey और RSS की Panchjanya से बेवफाई l NL Tippani Episode 78 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_zHIcqrUQo   15 Sept 2021 पिछले हफ्ते टिप्पणी नहीं हुई, इस दौरान बहुत कुछ हो गया. धृतराष्ट्र के दरबार में इस हफ्ते #IncomeTax के सर्वे पर विस्तार से बातचीत हुई. बीते हफ्ते दो खास घटनाएं हुई. एक तो इंडियन एक्सप्रेस में उत्तर प्रदेश सरकार का एक विज्ञापन छपा जिसमें एक फ्लाइओवर की तस्वीर छपी.

बाद में पाया गया कि जिस फ्लाइओवर को #Yogiadityanath के उत्तर प्रदेश का बताया गया था वह दरअसल पश्चिम बंगाल का था. अब यह तस्वीर उत्तर प्रदेश सरकार की तरफ से भेजी गई थी या इंडियन एक्सप्रेस ने खुद लगाई गई यह उन दोनों का द्विपक्षीय मामला है. लेकिन एक्सप्रेस समूह ने इस पर खेद जताकर इसे अपनी गलती बताया.

दूसरी घटना का जिक्र ऊपर आया है जिसमें आयकर विभाग की एक टीम न्यूज़लॉन्ड्री के दफ्तर पहुंची. दो महीनों के भीतर ऐसा दूसरी बार हुआ. ये दोनों घटनाएं बहुत महत्वपूर्ण हैं. विज्ञापन की मजबूरी ऐसी है कि #Indianexpress जैसे प्रतिष्ठित मीडिया संस्थान को माफी मांगनी पड़ी ताकि विज्ञापन की कृपा बनी रहे. दूसरी घटना का संदेश ये है कि सब्सक्रिप्शन के जरिए जो मीडिया खड़ा होगा उसके ऊपर सरकार का डंडा पड़ेगा, आयकर विभाग की टीम उसका दरवाजा खटखटाएगी.

दो पत्रकारों ने योगी का किया पर्दाफाश, पत्रकारों पर ठोक दिया मुकदमा  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg-Z7efqSMw
 
Sep 14, 2021