The more-than-just-a-neutral-observer position taken by sections of the media on the Anna Hazare agitation has clearly begun to rile politicians, and at least two of them cutting across party lines have argued in the last couple of days that the media too must be brought under the purview of the proposed anti-corruption legislation.
Exhibit A: Union minister for law and social justice, Salman Khurshid.
According to a report in The Hindu, Khurshid asked Headlines Today executive editor Rahul Kanwal as to why media corruption should not be investigated under the Team Anna version of the Lok Pal bill.
“Do I need to go back to the Niira Radia tapes? Now you are asking why the government has not investigated. If we go ahead with the investigation, we would be accused of being insensitive. If we do, there would be a mass moment for the media.”
Exhibit B: Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Again, according to a report in The Hindu, Mulayam’s demand that the media also be brought under the Lok Pal was met with thumping of desks by his colleagues.
“We [Samajwadi Party] suffered in the hands of media [during the polls],” he said during a debate on corruption. Even as a section of the treasury and opposition benche demanding that “media corruption” be also inquired into by Lokpal, Mulayam went on to state that it had become a practice for electronic channels to collect money during polls and air views in support of one party.”
Photograph: Television reporters deliver their piece to camera at the Ramlila grounds in New Delhi on Tuesday, against the backdrop of the stage on which Anna Hazare is fasting for the Lokpal bill
Also read: The ex-Zee News journo on Anna Hazare team
churumuri 
The police can always prosecute a media-person. You dont need Lokpal. The police can’t prosecute a minister without permission. You need Lokpal.
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Yes. Truly, the media is drowning slowly into corruption mud. Forget national and international level; many local journos are clearly putting their hands into dirt. …
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…As far as corruption in media is concerned, they have no ethics or principles. If a politician faces charges, the media crucifies him and makes him resign. When Barkha Dutt faced serious charges, she just brushed them aside just like a politician and her channel quietly buried the issue. This is the height of shamelessness.
Paid news is another evil, where stories are planted in the media. Definitely, there should be someone to regulate the media and to ensure basic ethics.
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There is a good and strong case for bringing media under the perview of lokpal.
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One should read Mr.shourie’s book ‘where all this will take us’ to understand the way media makes money out of paid news, created news, burying a industrial house by creating anti-propaganda at the behest of their competitors
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Once the tainted pseudo journalists’ role in the 2g scam is ascertained and their collusion with Congress and corporate bigwigs is proved, it should be reason enough to bring media under Lokpal purview. After all, what influences the common citizen is what they watch on TV and if that is doctored and misrepresented by unethical pseudojournalists to suit the ruling party, which funds the channel, then ours is the worst democracy ever. Media should be brought under Lokpal, so that “WE THE PEOPLE”, know just how much funds were pumped into that particular channel by Corrupt UPA, to show them in a favourable light. SO IF MEDIA IS BROUGHT UNDER LOKPAL, MAYBE “THE BUCK STOPS HERE, AND THE BITCH RUNS OUT OF LUCK HERE”
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Most definitely yes!
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Yes, the corrupt,biased & unfair telecast & release of media must come under Lokpal or other such forum to check & punish the guility. Media should never accept ant National title like Padamshri,Padambhushan etc nor media should attend any press conference in any 5/4/3 star hotels or enjoy cocktail & lunch/dinner.
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Yes…Valid arguement
for example in Karnataka two journalists are named in Lokayukta report. Even though one of them always speaks of high morale standards in public life, he has not clarified over the corruption charges till now
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Things are surely getting corrupt in censor, film and mass media.
even adult dialogues were shown on TV….
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In the prog on NDTV on 24th, Sri Sri Ravishankar said that the crime rate in Delhi has come down by 30 per cent since the day the anti-corruption agitation started in Ram Lila Maidan.
To which Barkha Dutt replied, “Yes, that is because all of them are at the Ram Laila Maidan !”
http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/i-dont-fast-because-i-honour-life-says-sri-sri/208846
(around 5.50 minutes into the video…)
I found this very very offensive and totally insensitive to the feelings of thousands of people who had assembled there….I want to know how we can convey our strong protests to Ms. Barkha Dutt.
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Yes, Immediately. From the day one, a person who is appointaed as Journalist, Photo Journalist, Reporter, Sub Editor , Executive Editor or Editor in media houses, it should become mandatory for him to declare his assets of himself and his family members and the Lokpal/ Lokayukta should be empowered to look into the assets amassed by the journalists disproportionate to their known sources of income.
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