Fake News or Paid news
JAJATI KARAN, Founder and Editor-In-Chief, Ommcom News, Odisha: There are a lot of tools offered by organisations like Google, Facebook, Twitter and others, to check if the news is fake or true. These tools can help in tackling the menace of fake news.
MILIND KHANDEKAR, Digital Editor, BBC, India: More than news media, it is the social media that is responsible for spreading fake news. Today, many media houses are falling prey to fake messages found on social media and then are spreading fake news through their respective media. Many people in power are making use of rumours which is amplified further for their benefit. Then, there are other set of people who are aware of fake news but still they end up forwarding or sharing fake news.
BALSING RAJPUT, Superintendent of Police (SP), Cyber Crime, Maharashtra: For us, fake news is not about pointing fingers but finding out reason behind spreading it. With the advancement of technology, fake news is on a rise. There is a constant flow of information because every citizen is a journalist today. I strongly believe there is a need for media and cyber hygiene.
NITIN BRAHME, Coordinator, The Wire, Marathi: Fake news is more or less about falling prey to hallow pride. Usually, fake news is about agenda setting. There are rumour mongering factories that are producing fake news in the country and then spreading it.
SHIREEN SETHI, Chief Operating Officer, N1 Media Consultancy: To bust fake news, take the help of technology but do not depend on it completely. A human intervention (mostly a journalist) will do the job of busting fake news much better rather than any other algorithm. Here again the journalist who is hired for this job should have highest credibility.
JAYANT MAINKAR, Bureau Chief, UNI, Mumbai: For any story to become credible, the story should have a credible source.
SHESH NARAIN SINGH, Journalist, Columnist and Political Analyst: The history of journalism is glorious and we need to maintain it. Fake news always existed, but today, the speed at which the fake news is spreading has increased drastically.
MANOJ BHOYAR, Assistant Editor, Jai Maharashtra: We have become a victim of fake news. Whatsapp universally is becoming a source of false and doctored information. And many media houses are trying to debunk these false news. But in this fight against people in power who are at times the ones spreading fake news, many journalists try not to become martyrs, but at the same time, undergo a mini-revolution.
RAJESH KASERA, National Head, The Patrika Group, Jaipur, Rajasthan: Both fake news and paid news are expanding their hold in media across length and breath. Due to Whatsapp forwards, truth has to spread and answer to the fake news that is being spread.
PRAKASH DUBEY, Group Editor, Dainik Bhaskar, Nagpur Edition: During Mahabharata, fake news was used to defeat the opponent. It is inscribed in the scripture. But today the only difference is that fake news is delivered to a large population in a shorter time frame which has a large impact. Paid and fake news are about profiting one side. Paid news is an expensive affair. It happens only during elections. It is high time that media houses stand against fake and paid news that is hurting the fabric of journalism.
S M ASIF, Editor, In Dinon: Fake news and paid news are not a menace in case of Urdu newspapers. If we even dare to indulge in any such activity, we will be burnt down. These types of news ramp up during the election time across media. This is usually the doing of politicians who depend on media to convey something specific about them which will help them hide their shortcomings.
DAYANAND KAMBLE, Deputy Director, Maharashtra Information Centre, New Delhi: Most of the news media want to have paid news as it gives them extra income. This despite the fact that media is aware of the ills of it.