Advertorials-merged.pdf

ADVERTORIALS What Is an Advertorial? Advertorial is magazine, newspaper or website content that looks and reads like that publication’s own content but is, in fact, a paid advertisement. Advertorial content often has the feel of an editorial in that it present...

ADVERTORIALS What Is an Advertorial? Advertorial is magazine, newspaper or website content that looks and reads like that publication’s own content but is, in fact, a paid advertisement. Advertorial content often has the feel of an editorial in that it presents an opinion, but it may also report on product trends or the results of research studies. Advertorials can also appear in video form on websites. The word “advertorial” combines the words “advertisement” and “editorial.” An advertorial is a form of advertisement in a newspaper, magazine or a website which involves giving information about the product in the form of an article. Usually, a brand pays the publisher for such an article. They are used by marketers to educate prospective consumers about the features of a product. It can be used to target a specific set of people by choosing the right medium to publish the advertorial. For example, an advertorial in a business newspaper would involve educating a set of people who are more interested about economy, markets or financial products. It is an effective medium for a company to connect with its consumers through a story, unlike a traditional print ad in a magazine, newspaper or on a website as a banner ad. An advertorial is more detailed than an advertisement and thus helps consumers understand more about the product. Advertorials are usually written by an ad agency or the client itself. They then purchase the ad space on the website or in a newspaper or a magazine. As a rule, the word "advertisement" is mostly printed in small letters at the top or bottom of your advertorial. Some newspapers or magazines chose to push these advertorials in special sections. Understanding Advertorials Because advertorials are not obviously ads and can provide useful information, consumers may be more likely to pay attention to them and read them than they would a traditional ad. Advertorials also provide the opportunity to include significantly more information about a product or service’s benefits than a traditional ad, which is usually heavy on images and light on text. A study found that two-thirds of readers felt that they were deceived when they realized that an article or video that they watched was sponsored by a brand. Thus, the danger of advertorials is that they can cause loss of trust among the consumer audience. Many publications indicate when content is an advertorial to avoid misleading readers. The advertorial will appear alongside the publication’s regular content but may be labeled “sponsored” or “special advertising section.” Some publications will not print advertorials at all. As with traditional advertisements, when companies use advertorials to promote their product or service, they must make sure the ad has the right tone and content for the consumer audience. An advertorial in a literary magazine whose readers are primarily college graduates should be written with a different tone than an advertorial in a celebrity gossip magazine geared toward mass readership. Advertorial content should match a publication’s editorial content in terms of style, for example, the way headlines are written, the type of font used, the way columns are laid out and other visual elements. Advertorials can draw the reader in is by telling a story — ideally, a true one — that draws upon a reader’s problems or fears and then describes how the product or service being sold can resolve the issue. The advertorial would support the assertions with statistics, test results or relevant facts. Ethical Issues with Advertorials In a 2004 survey, eight people in a sample of forty were able to distinguish between editorial content and advertorials, indicating that the media often chooses not to clearly state paid-for text as being just that. Advertisements are an important source of revenue for the media and thus occupy a substantial proportion of space in newspapers and magazines today. The remaining space is increasingly being occupied by fashion, entertainment and trivia, in order to maximise readership and advertiser base. Advertising needs often generate new media products and contribute to media trends and vocabulary. The "advertorial" is one such contribution. An advertorial is an advertisement (text or other content occupying paid-for space), masquerading as editorial content. It is clearly another money-making proposition for a publication. The advertisers welcome such an initiative for editorial content, as this is trusted more than ads. However, the same argument is used by media-persons opposing it. Many a times, the readers do not know what they are reading lacks the credibility of editorial matter. The media in such cases choose not to clearly state the fact of an advertorial being one. Examples: Interest-specific supplements like Education Times (The Times of India), Ascent (The Times of India), HT Careers (the Hindustan Times) etc., and subsidiary publications like the Outlook Traveller and India Today travelPLUS allow the advertisers to narrowcast their messages. Ads also make their way, through various media into unlikely places such as classrooms. News publications aimed at a young readership are distributed free or at a nominal rate in schools, providing the advertisers a direct pipeline to the youth market. Many readers may skip ads while reading, but a pizza ad bang in the middle of news stories does not escape notice. Blurring lines between news and advertisements The blurring of lines between editorial content and advertisements takes several forms. An advertorial is text or other content, occupying paid-for space, masquerading as editorial content. This is akin to an infomercial on television. An infomercial is a television programme which is simply an extended commercial for an advertiser but looks like regular programming. An advertorial is an attempt to add editorial authenticity to the advertiser’s claims. However, selling news space, which belongs to objective news and expert viewpoints, is a breach of the trust the reader places in the newspaper or magazine. Sometimes, an advertorial is used as supporting editorial copy with an advertisement. In such cases, the advertiser buys the entire space including that used for the text. Advertorials follow the journalistic feature format. When addressing a political theme, the (journalistic) feature writer must convince the reader of his or her objectivity as a journalist, while at the same time pressing a personal agenda. While reading a newspaper or a magazine, a reader trusts the journalist’s news sense and values to adjudge for her, what is news worthy and what is not. She believes that a journalist strives to present the facts as they are, without giving-in to any inducements. Selling news space, which belongs to objective news and expert viewpoints, is a breach of the trust the reader places in the newspaper or magazine. Many questions remain unanswered in the advertorial debate. Are readers aware of the distinction between advertorial and editorial content? Do they care about editorial integrity? If yes, are they satisfied with the fare being offered to them? Are they looking for change?  Importance of ethics in journalism The digital revolution simplified many areas of our lives while adding layers of complexity to others. Journalism, the collection, preparation, and distribution of news and related information was originally applied to current events in printed form. Newspapers, magazines and books captured journalism until the advent of radio and television. Journalism in the digital era is increasingly complex. With universal access to podcasts, social media, e-mail, blogs, and video-based apps, virtually anyone can create and distribute “news” online. The importance of ethics in journalism has never been more critical. Studies show that half of the Generation Z population in the United States use social media as their primary news source every day. They also turn to online-only news sites and podcasts to stay informed. Given that the next generation relies almost exclusively on online news sources, it’s essential to develop and follow a code of digital journalism ethics to promote truth, transparency, and accuracy. To simplify why journalism ethics are so crucial, let’s look at a comparison: the human muscle. When not exercised or simply used, the human muscle is weak, less noticeable and lazy. However, when exercised, the human muscle grows, becomes strong and much more prominent and noticeable. When looking at unethical journalism, articles are usually weak, as they lack evidence, the correct information, grammar and facts. They exist, but are not so noticeable by the consumer. Ethical journalism entails factual information, hard evidence, opinions from all parties involved, objective information steered away from subjectivity and outstanding grammar, spelling and punctuation. Ethical journalism, just like an exercised muscle, is strong in content, endures and does not go unnoticed. The consumer is so overwhelmed with unethical content provided for by the internet that they crave a good piece of factual work. As a journalist you have the responsibility towards society to provide truthful, balanced, factual and objective information while steering away from conflicts of interest and taking society’s privacy into account. Sensationalism should never enter a factual article in order to avoid rumour and speculation. The consumer has a right to truthful and factual information. Without this the profession of journalism would not exist. The smallest of factors can determine whether a journalist is ethical or unethical. Double checking facts, having first hand sources, checking grammar, punctuation and spelling and validating material are all key ethics that should not be overlooked. Journalists at times can be hasty in order to get their story out first, which may result in ethics being overlooked. However, being first and wrong is not ideal. Those who know your work and trust you will wait for your version. Journalists play an important role in seeking the truth and reporting it to the public. As we experience a media revolution during the era of digital-first news, journalism is more democratized, interactive and instantaneous than ever before. Anyone with an internet connection can open Twitter and make a statement that others may perceive as truth. As a result, professional journalists have an even greater responsibility to champion the truth, disprove fake news, and fact-check trending narratives to ensure the public has access to reliable information online. What is Fake News? Fake News is: information that cannot be verified, without sources, and possibly untrue. Types of Fake News While fake news can take many forms, there are several broad types. Deliberate Misinformation There is fake news written for profit and then shared on social media among targeted groups of people who want to believe that it is true. The intention is for the fake news to spread without readers taking the time to properly verify it. This type of fake news is untrue news. False Headlines A news headline may read one way or state something as fact, but then the body of the article says something different. The Internet term for this type of misleading fake news is “clickbait”—headlines that catch a reader’s attention to make them click on the fake news. This type of fake news is misleading at best and untrue at worst. Social Media Sharing Social media’s ability to show a large number of news items in a short time means that users might not take the time to research and verify each one. These sites often rely on shares, likes, or followers who then turn news items into a popularity contest—and just because something is popular and widely-shared does not mean it’s true. Satire Satire news or comedy news often begins with an aspect of truth then purposefully twists it to comment on society. Satire news has the potential to be spread as though it is real news by those who do not understand its humorous nature. An example of a well-known satire website is The Onion. Evaluate and Verify: Questions to Ask Yourself Media Literacy The process and ability to be able to evaluate and separate fake news from real news is a part of media literacy and, on a broader level, information literacy. There are strategies that you can use to become a savvy judge of news especially online or when using social media. Below are three questions that you should always ask yourself when evaluating a news story. Question 1: Who is the creator? The first question in figuring out if a something is fake news is by looking at the individual who created it, or understanding the organization behind it. When assessing news, especially that which exists on the Internet, it is important to review the following: Do you know the person behind the presentation of the material? Is there a byline or introduction, and are you aware of the person’s expertise?  Is the author listed on the site, or is there an “about me” section? Does the organization have an “about us” link? What is the name of the organization creating or hosting the content? Look at the URL. Does it have a tilde ~ in it? This is frequently a personal site. Check for the ending of the website’s URL:.gov,.edu,.mil, and.org are more credible than websites that end in.com,.net, and many others. Question 2: What is the message? The second question in determining if something is fake news is by looking at the message itself and understanding what is being communicated. Review the following: What is the content of the message? Can I find this same news in multiple places? Do multiple places use different experts and sources in their reports? Is the website this news appears on updated regularly? What is the date of the story? Check the sources from the story and their expertise. Are they anonymous? Are sources in quotes? Quotes lend greater authenticity and credibility. Can you figure out if there is bias in the message? Is there a slant to the news? Is the news fact or is it more opinion? What viewpoint is being expressed and what is being left out? What is the format of the message? Look at visual elements and text elements. Question 3: Why was this created? The third question in determining if something is fake news is by looking at why the message was created. Review the following: Can you tell what motivated the creation of this message? Was this message created for profit? Is this news actually an advertisement? Are the sources being paid? Is the author being paid? If the content lists itself as “sponsored content” that means an individual or organization is paying to display the content. It is always a good idea to verify information before you share it with others—in person or on social media. Aside from the three questions above, an additional method that works is the CRAAP test—look at the content for its currency—the timeliness of the information, relevance—the importance of the information to your needs, authority—the source of the information, accuracy—the reliability and truthfulness of the information, and purpose—the reason the information exists.  PAID NEWS The Press Council of India (PCI) defines paid news as any news or analysis appearing in print or electronic media for consideration in cash or kind. The Committee acknowledged challenges in defining and determining what constitutes or qualifies as ‘paid news’. It cited advertisements camouflaged as news, denial of coverage to select electoral candidates, exchanging of advertisement space for equity stakes between media houses and corporate and the rise in paid content as manifestations of paid news. The Committee asked the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) to formulate a comprehensive legal definition of ‘paid news’ in consultation with stakeholders and suggest measures for usage of ‘circumstantial evidence’ in identifying paid news. Reasons for rise in paid news: The Committee identified corporatisation of media, desegregation of ownership and editorial roles, decline in autonomy of editors/journalists due to emergence of contract system and poor wage levels of journalists as key reasons for the rise in the incidence of paid news. It urged the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) to ensure periodic review of the editor/journalist autonomy and wage conditions. The Committee opined that financial accounts of the media houses should be subject to examination, especially the revenue source for a suspected paid news case. It recommended mandatory disclosure of ‘private treaties’ and details of advertising revenue received by the media houses. Regulators lack adequate powers: The Committee found the exiting regulatory set-up dealing with paid news as inadequate. It described voluntary self-regulatory industry bodies like the News Broadcasting Standards Authority and Broadcasting Content Complaints Council as an ‘eye wash’. It found the punitive powers of statutory regulators like the PCI and Electronic Media Monitoring Centre (EMMC) to be inadequate. It also highlighted the conflict of interest inherent with appointment of media-owners as members of the PCI or self-regulatory bodies. Need for regulatory overhaul: The Committee recommended establishment of either a single regulatory body for both print and electronic media or enhancing punitive powers of the PCI and setting-up a similar statutory body for the electronic media. Such regulator(s) should have the power to take strong action against offenders and should not include media owners/interested parties as members. Inaction by the government: The Committee censured the MoIB for its failure to establish a strong mechanism to check the spread of paid news. It accused the government of dithering on important policy initiatives, citing the lack of action on various recommendations of the PCI and Election Commission of India (ECI). The PCI has sought amendment in the Press Council Act, 1978, to make its directions binding on government authorities and bring the electronic media under its purview. The ECI has made a reference to the Ministry of Law and Justice to amend the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RP Act) in order to include indulgence of an electoral candidate in paid news as a corrupt practice. It also recommended inclusion of abetting and publishing of such paid news as an electoral offence with minimum punishment of two years imprisonment. Penal provisions and jurisdiction: The Committee observed that existing penal provisions have not served as an effective deterrent for the practice of paid news and stricter penal provisions are needed. It highlighted the lack of clarity regarding the jurisdiction of the designated authority to penalise offenders, given existence of multiple bodies like the MoIB, PCI, EMMC and ECI. The Committee recommended that the ECI should have the authority to take punitive action against electoral candidates in cases of paid news. It endorsed the ECI’s proposed amendments to the RP Act and urged the government to provide the ECI with more powers to deal with paid news. Concentration of media ownership: The Committee expressed concern that the lack of restriction on ownership across media segments (print, TV or internet) or between content and distribution could give rise to monopolistic practices. It urged the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (currently examining the issue) to present its recommendations and the MoIB to take conclusive action on those recommendations on a priority basis. Distribution of government advertisements: The Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) is the nodal advertising agency for the central government under the MoIB. It is responsible for execution of advertisements on behalf of various ministries, autonomous bodies and PSUs. Various stakeholders alleged that the government uses advertisements to arm-twist media houses for favourable coverage. The Committee found the DAVP’s existing policy on distribution of advertisements amongst various media houses to be unsatisfactory. Hence, it recommended a transparent and unbiased policy for distribution of advertisements by the central and state governments, with provisions for scrutiny. It asked the DAVP to disclose details about disbursements of advertisements expenditure on its website. Adoption of international best practices: The Committee expressed concern that the MoIB and self- regulatory bodies have not conducted any study to evaluate the mechanism adopted by other countries to tackle the problem of paid news. Taking note of the Justice Leveson Report on the press and existing regulatory structure in the UK, it asked the MoIB to consider the report’s recommendations and progress of their implementation while dealing with the issue. More on Paid News/Case Study: Some of journalistic jargons to indicate paid news now a days are perks and package journalism, access journalism, suitcase journalism, exchange journalism, ad-based journalism, blackmail journalism, campaign journalism, junket journalism, subsidy journalism and relative journalism. Following consultations with Indian Newspapers Society, Indian Language Newspapers Association and journalists’ bodies, Press Council Of India (PCI) decided to demand more powers to tackle the menace of ‘paid news’. Editors’ Guild made vociferous protests against paid news after the 2009 Andhra Pradesh elections. Noted journalists late Kuldeep Nayar, Ajit Bhatacharjee, Harivansh Narayan Sing, B G Vergeese, and members of various organizations put pressure on the PCI to act decisively against sections of the media personnel indulging in the harmful practice. Noted journalist Prabash Joshi and Palagummi Sainath wrote vigorously against prevalence of paid news in Indian media. Rajdeep Sardesai led a team of journalists to the then Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chowla and urged him to take strong action against candidates and media persons who indulge in violating media ethics. Under this circumstance, Election Commission of Indian (ECI) resolved to curb the serious malpractice called ‘paid news’. The ECI feels paid news not only violates the sanctity of freedom of speech and expression enshrined in Article 19 (1)of the Constitution but also pauses a serious threat to our parliamentary democracy by unjustly furthering electoral prospects of some candidates in elections while ruining others. ECI proposed to the Government of India to amend the Representation of the Peoples Act, 1951 related to conduct of elections to the Parliament and the Assemblies, qualifications and disqualifications for membership of these Houses, corrupt practices and other offences in connection with elections. It insists incorporation of paid news as an electoral offence and punishable for a minimum of two years of imprisonment. While ECI has been actively contemplating stringent measures against paid news which has assumed a serious proportion, the political parties in India also arrived at a consensus with ECI that all media be put through maximum vigilance on the eve of Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. PCI constituted a 12-member drafting committee to prepare a final rep ort on the findings of select committee on the phenomenon of paid news. They were- Kalyan Barooah (Assam), H C Cama, Lalit Mangotra, U C Sarma,Y C Halan, K Sreenivash Reddy, S N Sinha, Anil Jugal Kishore Agarwal, Kundin R L Vyas, Puranjoy Guha Thakurta, P J Vadekar and K Rao. The Press Council of India made a series of guidelines for the media ; inter-alia, (a)objective reporting about elections and the candidates , (b) eschewing news reports which tend to promote enmity and hatred among the people on grounds of caste, creed, religion, community or language (c) refraining from publishing false or critical statements regarding personal character and conduct of any candidate, (d) refraining from accepting any kind of inducement in cash or kind to project a candidate or party, (e) not indulging in canvassing for a particular candidate or party, (f) the press shall not accept or publish any advertisement at the cost of public exchequer (g) The press shall observe the directions/orders/instructions of ECI. It will indeed take some time more for the new specifications regarding paid news to percolate down to the scribes in the field of this vast country and once they will be received in real earnest by all associated with the noble profession, the socio-political scenario will definitely be far better that what it is today.  PARTISAN/BIASED REPORTING Media bias/partisan reporting is the bias of journalists and news producers in the selection of events and stories that are reported, and how they are covered. The term “media bias” implies a pervasive or widespread bias contravening the standards of journalism, rather than the perspective of an individual journalist or article. The direction and degree of media bias in various countries is widely disputed. Practical limitations to media neutrality include the inability of journalists to report all available stories and facts, and the requirement that selected facts be linked into a coherent narrative. Because it is impossible to report everything, selectivity is inevitable. Government influence, including overt and covert censorship, biases the media in some countries, for example North Korea and Burma. Market forces that result in a biased presentation include the ownership of the news source, concentration of media ownership, the selection of staff, the preferences of an intended audience, and pressure from advertisers. Political bias has been a feature of the mass media since its birth following the invention of the printing press. Historians have found that publishers often served the interests of powerful social groups. Like newspapers, the broadcast media—radio and television—have been used as a mechanism for propaganda from their earliest days, a tendency made more pronounced by the initial ownership of the broadcast spectrum by national governments. Forms of biased or partisan reporting Bias comes in many forms. But the most commonly discussed forms of bias occur when the media support or attack a particular political party, candidate, or ideology; however, other common forms of bias exist, including advertising bias, corporate bias, mainstream bias, sensationalism, and concision bias. Advertising bias refers to when stories are selected or slanted to please advertisers; corporate bias refers to when stories are selected or slanted to please corporate owners of media; mainstream bias refers to a tendency to report what everyone else is reporting, and to avoid stories that will offend anyone. How to detect bias? Who are the sources? Be aware of the political perspective of the sources used in a story. Media over-rely on “official” (government, corporate and establishment think tank) sources. To portray issues fairly and accurately, media must broaden their spectrum of sources. Otherwise, they serve merely as megaphones for those in power. Is there a lack of diversity? What is the race and gender diversity at the news outlet you watch compared to the communities it serves? How many producers, editors or decision-makers at news outlets are women, people of color or openly gay or lesbian? In order to fairly represent different communities, news outlets should have members of those communities in decision-making positions. From whose point of view is the news reported? Political coverage often focuses on how issues affect politicians or corporate executives rather than those directly affected by the issue. Are there double standards? Do media hold some people to one standard while using a different standard for other groups? Youth of color who commit crimes are referred to as “superpredators,” whereas adult criminals who commit white-collar crimes are often portrayed as having been tragically been led astray. Do stereotypes skew coverage? Does coverage of the drug crisis focus almost exclusively on African Americans, despite the fact that the vast majority of drug users are white? Does coverage of women on welfare focus overwhelmingly on African-American women, despite the fact that the majority of welfare recipients are not black? Are lesbians portrayed as “man-hating” and gay men portrayed as “sexual predators”? What are the unchallenged assumptions? Often the most important message of a story is not explicitly stated. For instance, in coverage of women on welfare, the age at which a woman had her first child will often be reported—the implication being that the woman’s sexual “promiscuity,” rather than institutional economic factors, are responsible for her plight. Coverage of rape trials will often focus on a woman’s sexual history as though it calls her credibility into question. Is the language loaded? When media adopt loaded terminology, they help shape public opinion. Is there a lack of context? Coverage of so-called “reverse discrimination” usually fails to focus on any of the institutional factors which gives power to prejudice—such as larger issues of economic inequality and institutional racism. Coverage of hate speech against gays and lesbians often fails to mention increases in gay-bashing and how the two might be related. Do the headlines and stories match? Usually headlines are not written by the reporter. Since many people just skim headlines, misleading headlines have a significant impact. Are stories on important issues featured prominently? Look at where stories appear. Newspaper articles on the most widely read pages (the front pages and the editorial pages) and lead stories on television and radio will have the greatest influence on public opinion. --- What can be done to avoid Partisan Reporting? A technique used to avoid bias is the round table, an adversarial format in which representatives of opposing views comment on an issue. This approach theoretically allows diverse views to appear in the media. However, the person organizing the report still has the responsibility to choose people who really represent the breadth of opinion, to ask them non-prejudicial questions, and to edit or arbitrate their comments fairly. When done carelessly, a point/counterpoint can be just as unfair as a simple biased report, by suggesting that the “losing” side lost on its merits. Another technique used to avoid bias is disclosure of affiliations that may be considered a possible conflict of interest. This is especially apparent when a news organization is reporting a story with some relevancy to the news organization itself or to its ownership individuals or conglomerate. Often this disclosure is mandated by the laws or regulations pertaining to stocks and securities. Commentators on news stories involving stocks are often required to disclose any ownership interest in those corporations or in its competitors. Improving quality of journalism To improve the quality of journalism for a better informed public, journalists need to engage in more critical thinking throughout every step of writing a story. If journalists began thinking critically about the stories they consider newsworthy, the interview questions they ask, the sources they speak to, and how they write their stories (including the words they use), the quality of journalism would improve overall. Remaining aware of biases each journalist has while they write stories will prevent extremely biased reporting from becoming the new norm. Journalism has gone through many phases, however professionals in the journalism industry should be wary of where the profession is currently heading and remain critical thinkers throughout their career. Issue of bias in the media is complicated, and the audience plays just as heavy of a role as journalists do in the type of media they consume. Journalism is a business, and if audience members seek out biased content, it will motivate journalists to continue to produce that content. Whether a professional in the field or a consumer of media, being aware of the inherent biases humans have is an important and necessary step in critically thinking about the news media available in our society today.  Plagiarism Plagiarism means claiming someone else's work is your own by putting it in your story without attribution or credit. In journalism, plagiarism can take several forms: 1) Information: This involves using information that another reporter has gathered without crediting that information to the reporter or to his or her publication. An example would be a reporter who uses specific details about a crime - say, the color of a murder victim's shoes - in his story that comes, not from the police, but from an article done by another reporter. 2) Writing: If a reporter writes a story in a particularly distinctive or unusual way, and another reporter copies passages from that story into his own article, that's an example of plagiarizing writing. There also further classification within plagiarism of writing – verbatim (word for word copy paste), paraphrasing (changing the structure of the sentence slightly), mosaic (picking up sentences/paragraphs from different places and putting them together to form your own story), and accidental (you have written the exact same words as someone else’s news story by mistake or coincidence.) 3) Ideas: This occurs when a journalist, usually a columnist or news analyst, advances a novel idea or theory about an issue in the news, and another reporter copies that idea. Why not to do it? A news organization’s professionalism, reliability and public accountability are three of its most valuable assets. The general public depends on news organizations to give an honest and accurate account when they report a story. An organization earns and maintains its reputation based in part on its adherence to ethical journalistic standards. As representatives of a news agency, how individual journalists conduct themselves while carrying out their job reflects on the entire organization. Journalism ethics are based on professional conduct, morality and the truth and failing to follow these fundamental principles can lead to misrepresenting or misleading members of the public. Plagiarism is considered a serious violation of journalistic ethics. A journalist that commits plagiarism is risking not only their own reputation but the reputation of the organization they work for. By plagiarizing a story, a journalist calls into question the validity of any story they have reported on and harms the reputation of the organization they represent. Consequences of Plagiarism in Journalism Being suspended for plagiarism would be considered minor punishment. It is far more likely that the plagiarizing journalist would be fired. There is also the possibility that legal action might be taken which could result in having to pay monetary compensation or could even end in imprisonment. While it is much easier to plagiarize now than ever before, it is also easier to catch plagiarists. The best way for journalists to avoid plagiarism and its consequences are using checking plagiarism tools, to write their own stories and to attribute sources where they obtained information and ideas that weren’t their own. Avoiding Plagiarism Do Your Own Reporting: The easiest way to avoid plagiarism is by doing your own reporting. That way you avoid the temptation to steal information from another reporter's story, and you'll have the satisfaction of producing work that is entirely your own. But what if another reporter gets a "scoop," a juicy bit of information that you don't have? First, try to get the information yourself. If that fails... Give Credit Where Due: If another reporter digs up a piece of information you can't get on your own, then you must attribute that information to that reporter or, more commonly, to the news outlet that reporter works for. Check Your Copy: Once you've written your story, read it several times to make sure you haven't used any information that isn't your own. Remember, plagiarism is not always a conscious act. Sometimes it can creep into your story without your even being aware of it, simply by using information that you've read on a website or in a newspaper. Go over the facts in your story and ask yourself: Did I gather this myself?  QUALITIES OF A GOOD JOURNALIST Nose for News/Investigative Skills Reporters must cultivate what's called a "news sense" or a "nose for news," an instinctive feel for what constitutes a big story. For an experienced reporter, the news sense often manifests itself as a voice screaming inside his head whenever a big story breaks. "This is important," the voice shouts. "You need to move fast." It is a journalist’s ability to identify and develop stories that are newsworthy. It involved having an intuition or sixth sense about what is important and worth reporting on, even if it is not immediately obvious. This intuition is based on a combination of experience, knowledge, and an ability to identify patterns and trends. Journalists with a nose for news are able to identify stories that are important, relevant, and timely. They are also able to develop those stories in a way that is interesting, informative, and engaging to their audience. This skill is especially important in a world where news is available 24/7 and the competition for attention is fierce. A journalist relies on facts and evidence, not on emotions while working on a story. An ideal journalist should be observant and possess strong analytical skills to assess a situation if there is something more to it. Whether it is about confirming the credibility of sources or assessing an incident, a journalist should know how to weigh a situation critically. Sound judgment to verify the information before drafting the story is equally significant. You won't make it as reporter if you don't develop a nose for news, if you don't hear that voice yelling inside your head. And that won't happen if you're not excited about the work itself. How to develop a nose for news: o Read widely o Stay curious o Build your network o Keep an eye on social media o Identify gaps in coverage o Pay attention to your instincts Inquisitiveness/Analytical Mind/Curiosity Without curiosity, there would literally be no journalism. Curiosity is the main drive behind every great story; only by asking questions can he/she successfully research and receive the answers and facts that need to be published. With the recent increase in fake news, it’s crucial to be curious and to question facts, too. A good journalist should always want to know more. He/she must also have an analytical mind that allows them to base stories on facts instead of emotions. Critical thinking skills and sound judgement are crucial when it comes to reporting. Even when there are strict deadlines, a journalist should hone these skills to report stories accurately and to verify that all information they have found is true. Curiosity is the willingness to find out more. We need to dig deeper and ask questions that haven’t been asked yet in an age that’s over flooded with information. Inquisitiveness also involves being persistent and not being content with bits of information. One must not let go of a topic until one has satisfactory answers. The saying “curiosity killed the cat; lack of curiosity killed the reporter” is, therefore, apt. If someone lacks curiosity about certain newsworthy subjects, then, perhaps the root of the problem is not an inherent lack of curiosity (nature), but a lack of knowledge (nurture). For example, if a person has never been taught about the political system of a country, it’s likely that they won’t have enough information to be curious about politics. Those who have never had to engage with the justice system are likely to face the same problems when it comes to crime reporting, and the same applies to the health system, the welfare system, and so on. Kindness/empathy A good journalist must be kind. He/she deals with different people daily, whether it be sources, co-workers, state &/or national officials. Empathy doesn’t mean getting sucked in or becoming an activist. Empathy is a tool that allows for connection with other human beings. Empathy is not becoming part of your story subject’s circumstances, it’s allowing the emotion created by those circumstances to channel through you long enough to convey the meaning and data with human connectedness, the “me too” factor, not impersonal facts. That’s not to say some of that emotion traveling through the journalist doesn’t stick. Empathy appears central to journalistic work routines. A journalist without a well- developed empathy might excel in fields like stock market analysis or data journalism, but would presumably face difficulties in more “human” scenarios. The central position of empathy is reflected in the following example of a bereaved woman who just lost a close person, being interviewed by a television team. Narrating her story, she suddenly breaks down and bursts into tears. This scenario raises ethical questions over the correct response required of a professional journalist. A credo like “tears are good for business” and professional role understandings may be in opposition to the journalist’s own subjective (empathic) emotions. Empathy is present in telling the story, in creating authenticity, and in relating to the news source as a human being. This scenario shows one of several dimensions where journalism requires empathetic understanding alongside ethical and pragmatic considerations. Trustworthiness, Ethics and Integrity A good journalist must be a trustworthy person. When building relationships with sources, these people will only help out a journalist when they know he/she can be trusted. With so much of competition to move ahead in the race, sometimes journalists abandon their ethics for money and fame. A good journalist should always behave ethically and never follow illegal measures even if it helps in uncovering the secrets behind a story. Accuracy and honest should be more important while writing a new piece. From print to electronic, from newspapers to magazines, the profession of journalism requires some important personality traits and significant skills to succeed. If you are planning to pursue a career in journalism, you should question yourself if you have these essential skills. To be a good journalist, you must possess a “solid ethical core” and integrity. Journalist’s must have their audience’s trust in order to succeed. Fairness, objectivity and honesty are three factors that need to be built into every story. It is a journalist’s duty to report accurate and reliable information to the public. If a journalist is ever put into a scenario where trust could be compromised, they should step aside. A good way to familiarize one’s self with the ethics of journalism is to read and follow the Society of Professional Journalist’s Code of Ethics. Only your integrity and ethics will make you a trustworthy journalist. A Way with Words (Effective Communication Skills) How do you distinguish between an average news story and an enthralling news piece? Effective writing skills can make all the difference. A writer should know how to play with words and should be able to produce an error-free, grammatically correct and concise article with factual information that would pique the interest of the audience. Like any other field, effective communication skills are essential for an ideal journalist. If you know your way with people, you can understand them then you can extract relevant information for a story. An ideal journalist should also know how to take control of a situation if the interview goes wrong. Journalists should be proficient in English and be well-versed to file a story that would attract the target audience. Journalists must master written communication for all media types, from text stories and podcast scripts to photo captions and social media posts. Journalism skills related to writing include understanding the principles of grammar and punctuation. Journalists should also know how to write clearly, simplify complex information and adhere to a style guide. A successful journalist must have excellent communication and language skills. Language skills are essential as they help convey information accurately, build relationships with sources and audiences, and tell compelling stories. You are accountable for the information you report as a journalist. Language skills are critical in conveying information accurately. Language skills play a critical role in building relationships with sources. Journalists rely on various sources for their information. Building relationships with them requires practical communication skills. These include asking open-ended questions, listening actively, and providing feedback. A good command of language can help you establish trust with sources. They are more inclined to share information and offer timely updates if they trust you. Courage A good journalist must also be courageous and bold. Part of the job is asking tough questions and digger deeper than comfortable when deemed necessary. Personal feelings must be put aside in order to unleash the truth. In most cases, journalists will need to be out on the scene to get a full, unique story. This includes traveling to drastic and dangerous events to get details. Courage not only means dealing with dangerous situations, but is also shown by the confidence to act in accordance with one's beliefs. Journalism demands that the journalists show courage and integrity not just in their quest for truth in the world but also be courageous enough to be true to themselves and their journalistic ethos. It can be found in the wisdom of understanding when danger finally has outweighed the risk. Or it can surface when threats to personal safety lurk but the lessons of training combine with inner strength to push fear aside and persevere. Courage can reside, too, in a journalist’s isolation when editorial stands taken shake the foundation of friendship and sever long-held ties to one’s community. Thorough Knowledge For being a good journalist, you need to be aware of the current events. Read a wide range of both print and digital medium of news sources to stay updated on the happening events. Also, you need to have some background knowledge before you go out to cover a story and write on it. Your ability to research to find out the important details of a story is quite helpful. Professionalism and Confidence What professionalism means in the journalism field is meeting deadlines, ready to take up work before regular working hours and have the courage to accept criticism from the editors. Also, journalists should reflect confidence in order to succeed. However, you should always be eager to learn from your limitations and enhance your skills. Persistence and Discipline The profession of journalism requires hard work and persistence. Sometimes you might be chasing a story for months to get a lead and hit the newspapers. During such times, an ideal journalist should not give up following on a story and must remain disciplined. The ultimate motive of any journalist should be to find the truth and seek justice in all matters even if he or she has received recognition for their efforts. Tech-Savviness Technology and social media have become a huge part of journalism and reporting today; therefore, it is important that a journalist possess technology skills. Journalists are expected to use social media as a tool to report in real time and to provide transparent coverage of an ongoing event. Journalists also need to know how to search the internet so that they can properly fact check and access any public records that are necessary for reporting a story. Social media also helps journalist connect with potential sources that could help build a story; therefore, knowing the ins and outs of each social media platform is necessary.  SENSATIONALISM The Oxford Dictionary definition of sensationalism is, especially in journalism, “the use of exciting or shocking stories or language at the expense of accuracy, in order to provoke public interest or excitement.” Sensationalism, simply put, is hype – news or topics that are played up to appeal to your senses and not necessarily your intellect. If you like that type of news, then read on. But if you crave authentic, serious, multi-source journalism, then you need to look elsewhere. Sensationalism in journalism has existed from the early days of the printing press in the 16th century. More often than not, news stories become sensationalized for the simple fact that ratings and readership will rise if people find the story interesting. Although one event is deemed newsworthy, the media today have taken it upon themselves to turn an ordinary story about an important event into something that is covered for weeks or even months. So the question rises, are sensationalist news stories demeaning and damaging to society? Most people are not even aware of the difference between an average story and a sensationalized one. But the effects of sensational stories can last for a long period of time in society and can change our perception of the media as we know it. When the facts of a story are exaggerated in order for that particular newspaper or television station to receive a better rating, the public can find it difficult to understand the reality of what was covered. Besides weeding through stories to get the truth, the population would also have to consider if the news they are reading everyday is in fact accurate. Most people do not have the time to consider all these variables when they pull up a news story on their phone or flip to a page in a newspaper, which makes sensationalist news even more controversial. The practice of sensationalism within news is not only deceiving to the public, but also hurtful to the media’s reputation in several ways. Many news outlets that write and cover stories while using sensationalism make the readers feel betrayed or untrustworthy of the news. Although many wouldn’t notice the difference between an accurately reported story and a sensationalized one, when the public finds out the claims weren’t completely true, that outlet would most likely lose a majority of its respect as readers or viewers become skeptical. What makes a news outlet trustworthy is their reporting of facts that are true to the event and provide the people with the correct information to tell the story of an event without any exaggeration. These tactics almost always guarantee the most reliable news stories, and those newspapers or television stations earn the most respect from the population because of it. The media has been criticized on multiple accounts in the last few years due to the amount of bias that can be found within reporting. This also greatly contributes to sensationalist news, with the increasing skepticism about what is beneficial or what is truthful news, the media has slowly been losing its respect. Overall respect for any form of media has fallen greatly simply because of the use of sensationalism, which can be seen as demeaning to the industry. Next time a headline or story catches your eye when you’re reading the news, take a moment to think about if that piece of news was impacted by sensationalism or bias. If it does, you might feel betrayed that a story you were genuinely interested in was actually misleading and not entirely true to the actual event. Sensationalist news impacts our lives every day without many even realizing it, but in reality, this practice is hurtful not just to the journalism industry but also to the public. Media outlets are often blamed for sensationalism in today's news coverage. Reporters are criticized for exaggerating the facts for higher ratings or more newspaper subscriptions. Online journalists are accused of writing "clickbait" headlines to boost advertising sales. But are the accusations fair? And how can reporters make sure they don't give their accusers any fodder? It is very difficult to decipher what is the truth or bias. What is actual news and what are you supposed to believe? Choice of Words A common misconception is that large font or bright colors make the story sensational. But it's the content that matters more than the presentation. Your goal is to describe the situation as accurately as possible. Do your journalistic duty of informing the public. Convey facts accurately and vividly without exaggerating or downplaying events. Exaggerating facts Every news reporter wants to see their story on the front page or at the top. That may lead to the temptation to make a story sound bigger than it is. Let a checklist of fair reporting be your guide. There's nothing wrong with using words like "chaos" or "shocking" if you can back it up with facts. Avoid using these words every day, or else your audience will grow bored. Generally speaking, your goal is to show, not tell. Give balanced coverage to those involved or connected to a story, and let their voices color the story more than your own. Questionable Assignments Sometimes it's the news story assignment itself that leads to charges of sensationalism. At no time was that truer than during the Monica Lewinsky scandal involving President Bill Clinton. It became one of the 12 events that changed news coverage because every news outlet was forced to decide how to cover taboo sexual topics. On the surface, the lewd sexual specifics sounded like sensationalism. But the Clinton presidency was at stake. Reporters had to merge the titillating details with the mundane mechanics of federal government because President Clinton faced impeachment. Journalists must regularly decide if a particular assignment is newsworthy, or if it's just a cheap way to score readers and satisfy advertisers. Recent examples of sensational reporting in Indian media: 2020: Actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death 2010: Aarushi Talwar double murder case 2020: Reports on Tablighi jamat congregation in Delhi in March 2020 2018: Reporting on actor Sridevi’s death  STING OPERATIONS A Sting Operation is an operation designed to catch a person committing a crime by means of deception. A complicated confidence game planned and executed with great care. The word sting derives its origin from American usage to mean a police undercover operation designed to ensnare criminals. The word sting is a synonym for the expression set a trap to catch a crook and this article uses the term in that sense. In more refined terms, it can be called Investigative Journalism or Undercover Journalism. Sting Operation is an information-gathering exercise; it looks for facts that are not easy to obtain by simple requests and searches, or those that are actively being concealed, suppressed or distorted. An informed citizenry the bedrock of a democracy, holding the government accountable through voting and participation requires investigative journalism which cannot sustain itself on asymmetric dissemination of information. In many cases, the subjects of the reporting wish the matters under scrutiny to remain undisclosed. Among the most popular programmes in India, are those reporting on corruption and misdeeds of politicians and government officials. ‘Candid camera,’ reports many true stories of the day the bribe that the police inspector extracts from the victim of a crime before agreeing to investigate, the ‘fee’ that the government officer charges for his giving the order to make an electric connection, and the ‘contribution’ that a company pays a member of Parliament before bringing up a legislative concern in the Lok Sabha. Because of all these things do we really require Sting Operations? At the same time, where such investigative work involves the use of covert methods, it raises issues that tend to further blur the line between law and ethics. Is deception legitimate when the aim is to tell the truth? Is any method justifiable no matter the working conditions and the difficulties in getting information? Can television reporters use hidden cameras to get a story? Can journalists use false identities to gain access to information? The critical question that surfaces is to what extent can the media go and to what extent should a person be informed? Sting Operations in India Sting Operations are undertaken with a view to look into the working of the govt. or to see whether the acts of any individual is against the public order. On the basis of the purpose Sting Operations can be classified as positive and negative. Positive Sting Operation is one which results in the interest of the society, which pierces the veils of the working of the government. It is carried out in the public interest. Due to positive sting operation society is benefited because it makes government responsible and accountable. It leads to the transparency in the government. On the other hand, negative sting operations do not benefit the society, but they do harm the society and its individuals. It unnecessarily violates the privacy of the individual without any beneficial results to the society. These types of sting operations if allowed then it will hamper the freedom of the individuals and restricts their rights. Here are some examples which we can distinguish as positive and negative sting operations. 1. Positive Sting Operations: # Sting operations on ultra-sound centers carried out by the Health officers in Karnataka for serious enforcement’’ of the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act which bans sex determination of foetuses and consequent abortion of female ones to stop female foeticide. # The Ministry (by the Cable Television Networks Regulation Act and Programme Code), has prohibited the transmission of Cineworld channel for 30 days for showing objectionable content. Because it offended good taste and decency and it was obscene and likely to corrupt public morality and was not suited for unrestricted public exhibition # An operation by an online news site called Tehelka to catch top politicians and army officers taking bribes from journalists posing as businessmen. # An operation in which a journalist posing as a struggling actress met actor Shakti Kapoor, who promised in the televised footage that his secretary would introduce her to movie producers and directors. 2. Negative Sting Operations: Instances over the years have shown that though sting operations do expose corruption in some cases, sometimes they seriously violate the rules of journalism in the pursuit of profit and short-term sensationalism. # The Delhi High Court on Friday, 7th September, 2007, issued notices to the Delhi government and city police after taking suo motu cognisance of media reports alleging that a sting operation carried out by a TV channel, which claimed to have exposed a sex racket run by a government school teacher Uma Khurana, for allegedly luring her pupils into prostitution has now been revealed to be completely fabricated and was fake and distorted. # The Supreme Court on Wednesday, 7th February, 2007, issued notices to a private news channel and its reporter for carrying out a sting operation carried out in the year 2004, which allegedly showed a non- bailable warrant could be procured against any person by paying a hefty amount in the court. These incidents are an example of how a sting operation can go wrong and become an exercise in trapping an innocent person. India TV’s chief editor, Rajat Sharma, said that there was no violation of privacy in exposing such matters as political corruption or the trading of jobs for sex in Bollywood, a practice known in movie and theatrical business lore as the casting couch. If you are serious about exposing certain social evils, there is no other option but to use sting operations. Do We Really Need Sting Operations? The media plays an important role in a democratic society. It acts as the fourth institute outside the government. Sting operations are methods of uncovering information. Although, the Indian Constitution does not expressly mention the liberty of the press, it is evident that the liberty of the press is included in the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1) (a). Various Constitutions have guaranteed free press or media as a fundamental right. Freedom of press is a special right under art. 19(1)(a) of the Constitution of India, 1950 but it has certain restrictions. The democratic credentials are judged by the extent of freedom the media enjoys in a particular state. The heart of journalism has to be public interest and Sting operations, serve public interest. Why No to Sting Operations? With great power comes great responsibility, therefore the freedom under Article 19(1)(a) is correlative with the duty not to violate any law. Every institution is liable to be abused, and every liberty, if left unbridled, may lead to disorder and anarchy. Television channels in a bid to increase their Television Rating Points (TRP’s) ratings are resorting to sensationalized journalism. Sting operations have now become the order of the day. The carrying out of a sting operation may be an expression of the right to free press but it caries with it an indomitable duty to respect the privacy of others. Against Right to Privacy: The individual who is the subject of a press or television ‘item’ has his or her personality, reputation or career dashed to the ground after the media exposure. He too has a fundamental right to live with dignity and respect and a right to privacy guaranteed to him under Article 21 of the Constitution. A citizen has a right to safeguard the privacy of his own, his family, marriage, procreation, motherhood, child bearing and education among other matters. No one can publish anything concerning the above matters without his consent - whether truthful or otherwise and whether laudatory or critical. If he does so, he would be violating the right to privacy of the person concerned and would be liable in an action for damages. Position may, however, be different, if a person voluntarily thrusts himself into controversy or voluntarily invites or raises a controversy. The right to privacy by itself has not been identified under the Constitution. As a concept it may be too wide and moralistic to define it judicially. Whether right to privacy can be claimed or has been infringed in a given case would depend on the facts of the said case…. Against Public Morality: There is the classic ethical problem that haunts all sting operations: can you hold somebody responsible for a crime that he would not have committed if you hadn’t encouraged him? The essence of all entrapment is that you promise a man a reward for breaking the law and then, apprehend him when he takes the bait. All sting operations involve making people commit crimes that they would not otherwise have committed and are therefore immoral. It is against the public morality and decency and hence falls within the purview of Article 19 (2). The 17th Law Commission in its 200th report has made recommendations to the Centre to enact a law to prevent the media from interfering with the privacy rights of the individuals. Problems with Sting Operations The classic ethical problem that haunts all sting operations: - can you hold somebody responsible for a crime that he would not have committed if you hadn’t encouraged him? The essence of all entrapment is that you promise a man a reward for breaking the law and then, apprehend him when he takes the bait. A defence that can be taken by the accused that the act had been committed as a result of inducement, and which he (the accused) did not intend himself to commit, or, in cases where lack of consent constitutes the offence, such as rape, that the consent had been implied by the inducement, where because of the ‘trap’ laid down for the accused, the impression given was that an offence had not been committed. Fundamental rights can’t be enforced against the individual or private entity: When Maneka Gandhi sued Khushwant Singh over certain references to her in his autobiography Truth, Love and a Little Malice saying that it was a violation of her privacy, she lost the case. It is precisely because of this lack of legislation that we have numerous Sing Operations taking place almost daily thereby obtruding upon individual privacy. However, despite the growing invasion of privacy, there is no Indian legislation that directly protects the privacy rights of individuals against individuals. Conflict of Laws: Although on one hand, the Constitution confers the fundamental right of freedom of the press, Article 105 (2) provides certain restrictions on the publications of the proceedings in Parliament. In the famous Searchlight Case, the Supreme Court held that, the publication by a newspaper of certain parts of the speech of members in the House, which were ordered to be expunged by the Speaker constituted a breach of privilege. Another major problem which we face today is against whom the sting operation is allowed? Some are of the opinion that it must be allowed against the public servants. The definition of Public Servant is given in 2(c) of The Prevention of Corruption Act. Again a problem comes that can we have sting operation against the public servants when they are not in their course of duty? There are so many problems which arise because we do not have proper legislation. We can say the root of all these problems is the lack of legislation first and anything after. Position of Sting Operation in India In India we have no specific law which governs such operation and also we have no judicial pronouncements till today which guides such operations or the acts of the media. But a person can go to the court under different laws to protect his rights and freedom. We have wiretapping which is a part of sting operation is regulated under the Telegraph Act of 1885. In 1996 decision by the Supreme Court which ruled that wiretaps are a serious invasion of an individual’s privacy The Court also laid out guidelines for wiretapping by the government, which define who can tap phones and under what circumstances. Only the Union Home Secretary, or his counterpart in the states, can issue an order for a tap. The government is also required to show that the information sought cannot to be obtained through any other means. The Court mandated the development of a high-level committee to review the legality of each wiretap. Tapped phone calls are not accepted as primary evidence in Indian courts. The Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry must favour the introduction of a clause to address Sting Operations in the Broadcasting Bill. The Ministry must make a clear distinction between stories that amount to an invasion of privacy and those which expose corruption or have political implications. However, Sting Operations which expose corruption and tell stories with political implications will be allowed, as any attempt to proceed against them would be seen as an effort to stifle the media. What journalists and editors need to determine is who will benefit as a result of the reporting. If journalism is committed to democratic accountability, then the question that needs to be asked is whether the public benefits as a result of specific investigative reports. Does the press fulfill its social responsibility in revealing wrongdoing? Whose interests are being affected? Whose rights are being invaded? What the regulatory body will need to determine is who will benefit as a result of the reporting. Is the issue at stake a matter of legitimate public interest? These are some questions which need to be answered when going for a sting operation or going for making legislation on it. The legislation must govern the conduct of the media and must define the extent media can sting a person’s life and whom they can sting? To avoid falling into that trap, the sting operations need a code of conduct. Laws too, should be strengthened in this regard. Sting operations are completely justified if they are carried out with the protocol that has been talked about.