Television

I&B Minister Applauds HT, Pulls Up NDTV Over Radia Tapes

Appreciates HT Media for self correction; says others should also have taken self-corrective measures.

BestMediaInfo Bureau

03 Mar 2011 11:38 IST

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I&B Minister Applauds HT, Pulls Up NDTV Over Radia Tapes

Appreciates HT Media for self correction; says others should also have taken self-corrective measures.

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | March 3, 2011

It seems that Radia tapes controversy involving the big journalists is still alive and on the top of mind. Speaking at the inauguration of HT Burda's new printing facility in Greater Noida, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni spoke about the mistakes made by the media in recent past.

Without taking names, Soni said, “In India, we really celebrate freedom and media play an important role towards this. I'd undoubtedly accept that we also make small mistakes but we have the capacity of self correction. There have been a few mistakes by media too in the recent past but I must appreciate HT Media and Shobhana for self correction which many other should also have done. In a democratic nation we must continue with the self correction exercise.”

All this is enough to understand that I&B Minister referred about the Radia Tapes, in which some famous journalists were heard lobbying.

If we read between the lines, then Soni meant that HT Media has done self correction by sidelining its Advisory Editorial Director Vir Sanghvi and others like NDTV should have taken the similar corrective measure.

Update: Reverting to a query, Soni just told BestMediaInfo.com that her remarks were in general and not targeted to any one in particular. She added that her remarks should refer to the malpractices regarding paid news, although there was no mention of paid news in her entire speech at the function.