Justice minister, DGA chief discuss partnership to boost digital judicial services    Netanyahu does not rule out further strikes on Hamas leaders    US farmers are being squeezed – and it's testing their deep loyalty to Trump    Romania condemns 'irresponsible' Moscow after Russian drone breaches its airspace    Kirk's assassination is forcing US politicians to make difficult choices about their safety    India players refused handshakes, says Pakistan coach    Final stage of Spanish Vuelta cycling race abandoned after disruption by pro-Palestine protesters    Mané fires Al Nassr past Al Kholood to keep perfect start as Ronaldo honored    Lacazette brace earns NEOM SC first Saudi Pro League win    Adolescence star Owen Cooper makes Emmys history at 15    Saudi liquidity grows 8.4%, reaching SR3.1 trillion in July 2025    Over 434,000 people acquire first aid skills during nationwide health campaign    Saudi Arabia's legislative advancement highlighted at International Conference on Judicial Training    Sudden swerving among 3 major causes of accidents in Riyadh in 2024    Princess Haifa emphasizes pivotal Saudi role in shaping future of tourism    Sahm Capital names Saudi Olympian Fayik Abdi as brand ambassador    SR9000 fine for copyright infringement using AI    King Charles and Prince Harry finally reunite after 19 months apart    Anastacia: Arnold Schwarzenegger made me sing Whatta Man 12 times    Thousands pay their last respects to Giorgio Armani, private funeral on Monday    The key to happiness    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Modi govt freezes ads placed in three Indian newspaper groups
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 28 - 06 - 2019

India's government has cut off advertisements to at least three major newspaper groups in a move that executives and an opposition leader said was likely retaliation for unfavorable reports.
Critics have said that freedom of the press has been under attack since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government first took office in 2014 and journalists have complained of intimidation for writing critical stories.
Now the big newspaper groups, which have a combined monthly readership of more than 26 million, say they are being starved of government ads worth millions of rupees that began even before Modi was elected to power last month with a landslide mandate.
"There is a freeze," an executive at Bennett, Coleman & Co that controls the Times of India and The Economic Times, among the country's biggest English-language newspapers, said. "Could be (because of) some reports they were unhappy with," the executive said, seeking anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.
Around 15 percent of the Times group's advertising comes from the government, the executive said. The ads are mostly government tenders for contracts as well as publicizing government schemes.
The ABP Group, which publishes The Telegraph that has run reports questioning Modi's record on everything from national security to unemployment, has seen a similar 15 percent drop in government advertisements for around six months, two company officials said.
"Once you don't toe the government line in your editorial coverage and you write anything against the government, then obviously the only way they can penalize you (is) to choke your advertising supply," the first ABP official said.
The second ABP official said that there had been no communication from the government, and the company was looking to other sources to plug the gap.
"Press freedom must be maintained and it will be maintained despite these things," the official said. Both also sought anonymity.
Satyendra Prakash, director general of the Bureau of Outreach and Communication, the agency responsible for advertisements from the federal government, did not reply to Reuters emails or phone calls seeking comment.
But a spokesman for Modi's ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party said the press in India remained fully free.
Nalin Kohli said there was ample criticism against the ruling party in newspapers and on TV news channels. "That's testimony of freedom of speech," he said, "The suggestion that the BJP is throttling free press is ridiculous."
India ranked 140th out of 180 in the 2019 World Press Freedom Index, lower than countries like Afghanistan, Myanmar and the Philippines. It ranked 80th out of 139 countries surveyed when the index was started in 2002.
The Hindu newspaper group also saw government advertising plunge after publishing investigative stories on a multibillion dollar deal to buy combat planes from France's Dassault that strengthened an opposition campaign alleging government wrongdoing, a company official said.
The government rejected the accusation.
A leader of the main opposition Congress told parliament this week the government was trying to bring the three newspaper groups to heel.
"The undemocratic and megalomaniac style of stopping government advertisement is a message to media from this government to toe its line," Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said.
Chief executive officers of all three newspaper groups did not respond to Reuters emails. — Reuters


Clic here to read the story from its source.