Monday, March 3, 2014

THE PAID NEWS EMAIL TRAIL IN GOA

Hi.
Much has been said about paid news in Goa. Now's the time to read some more. All journalists here have known it exists, some of my stories in the past have even exposed the same over and over again. You can find links to most of those stories on these links.
http://paidnewsingoa.blogspot.in/2011/10/goas-paid-piper-paid-political.html
http://penpricks.blogspot.com/
But the scanned images below, give you an insight of how the phenomenon of paid news has taken a vice-like grip in at least one of the news organisations. The letters also indicates how one former journalist Julio D'Silva, who now works in the chief minister's office and is on the editorial board of a government periodical 'Nave Parva', was one of main conduits for paid news as far as the Herald was concerned.
The emails were leaked to a few selective journalists by unknown persons some days back. They were handed to me by a source who happened to get these emails.
I tried to verify the emails for authenticity. I have also in a letter to chief minister Manohar Parrikar requested him to examine the same, using official cyber analysts and investigate the issue of paid news made out in the email transcripts.

rgds
Mayabhushan Nagvenkar


Dear Mr. Parrikar
Greetings!

Please find attached copies of emails between former Herald editor Sujay Gupta and general manager Michael Pereira, which have been selectively leaked to some journalists by unknown persons some days back.
I came by the bunch of emails through a source, whose name I am not at liberty to disclose. The emails need to be checked for their authenticity, but in the way they are clearly make out a case for paid news in the Herald.
The emails are self explanatory, in the sense they not only expose which politicians have indulged in paid news but also exposes the modus operandi used by the named newspaper while indulging in paid news.
The emails list out a string of instances of how Herald indulged in paid news, through the protestations of its editor. It also mentions specific articles which were paid for and which were carried under protest by the editorial section of the newspaper.
Incidentally, the letter also quotes Herald editor Sujay Gupta as saying that Julio (D’Silva), who is presently working out of the chief minister’s office, has been a facilitator for paid articles during the 2012 assembly election campaign. The question of what Mr. D’Silva is doing in your employ, at a time when you have publicly expressed your concern about the phenomenon of paid news both loaded and piquant.
Over the last few years, I have authored several news stories on paid news in the contemporary media set up. You will find one such critical story on media corruption in the 2012 polls parked at this link.
http://paidnewsingoa.blogspot.in/2011/10/goas-paid-piper-paid-political.html

These emails actually go a long way corroborating my expose in 2012. In fact then Herald editor Sujay Gupta, in the first page of the email bunch confirms that paid news was in fact common practice at the Herald.
My prayer to you is to use these emails (after officially verifying them for authenticity), selectively leaked to me and a few other journalists, to start an investigation into paid news, which is a scourge as you yourself have mentioned. These emails make a clear case for paid news in the Herald, but I am sure that a proper investigation will bring other newspapers in the loop too.
I am sure you will find a lot more dirt when you dig the paid news scam in Goa if there is a desire and will to do so.
I am sure journalists, who have been speaking against the paid news malaise would be happy if you could get to the bottom of Goa media’s paid news scandal.
I may be contacted on mayabhushan@gmail.com or 7350131007 for further clarifications.
Best regards
Mayabhushan Nagvenkar

P.S. Scanned copies of the email are attached below

NOTE: The complaint to Mr. Parrikar was sent on March 1 at 7:23 pm. Coincidentally, Herald has run editorial today on paid news and how it needs to be stamped out. Near lyrical irony this. You can read the editorial here.
http://www.epaperoheraldo.in/Details.aspx?id=14337&boxid=1539437&uid&dat=3%2F3%2F2014
I have contacted Mr. Pereira, Mr. Gupta, Mr. D'Silva for comments last night, but no responses have come through so far. Will upload them the moment they do come in.









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