Naveen Jindal on Thursday took the media industry by storm with his expose of Zee TV which showed officials from Zee News and Zee Business demanding Rs 100 crore in order to stop broadcasting stories that showed him in a defamatory manner.
Zee News on the other hand said that they were trying sign a dummy contract with Jindal to show that he was paying money to stop them from airing news about him being involved in the Coalgate scam.
Screeengrab from CNN-IBN
Journalists and media persons across the country were taken by surprise by these videos. The importance of the sting operation lies in the fact that though there has always been talk about paid news, no corporate company has actually done such an expose.
Jindal’s sting operation seems to have hit a nerve as it saw journalists from various media organisations expressing their shock and disappointment, and others doubting the sting operation. Here is what they had to say:
Sad day for journalism . Journalists andmedia seriously need to introspect .
— ashutosh (@ashutoshibn7) अक्टूबर 25, 2012
I joined journalism over 20 years ago, fresh from Oxford, idealistic about being part of India’s great free press. Sad, shocked today
— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) अक्टूबर 25, 2012
Stunned silence in the newsroom as journalists watch the Jindal-Zee sting operation. Anyone who indulges in extortion should be exposed.
— Rahul Kanwal (@rahulkanwal) अक्टूबर 25, 2012
Shocking allegations by @mpnaveenjindal#shame
— Mrityunjoy Kumar Jha (@Mrityunjoykjha) अक्टूबर 25, 2012
Also, in my short experience in the media, signing dummy contracts is certainly not what journalists do. Zee’s excuse seems lame.
— Sachin Kalbag (@SachinKalbag) अक्टूबर 25, 2012
If we expose corruption of politician n corporates,they will definitely strike back. But if we have nothing to hide we should not be afraid.
— nikhil wagle (@waglenikhil) अक्टूबर 25, 2012
