Categories: Business

Modi Government stops advertising in The Times Group, The Hindu and The Telegraph newspaper

Published by

The Modi Government has stopped issuing advertisements in major newspapers such as the Times of India, The Hindu, Economic Times, The Telegraph and Ananda Bazar Patrika(ABP) and the reason is believed to be the very negative reporting against the Government as well as against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Central Government’s advertisements in The Hindu stopped in March after the Rafale deal illegalities series. Advertisements in Sameer-Vineet Jain brothers-owned The Times Group stopped from June onwards.

This ban also covers Jain brother’s TV channels Times Now and Mirror Now, which cleverly take diametrically opposite positions in covering news. Insiders say, the entire Times Group faced the wrath of the Govt. for publishing a campaign-like series of reports against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Lok Sabha election campaign accusing him of violating the Model Code of Conduct. Many Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders feel this was a Congress-supported ploy to file complaints with the Election Commission against Modi.

As per the industry statistics, Time of India Group is getting an average of more than Rs.15 crores/ month from Central Government’s advertisements and The Hindu is getting around Rs.4crores/ month on an average basis.

Though these big media houses kept silent, the Congress party raised the issue in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha raised the issue by accusing Modi Government of indulging in undemocratic and megalomaniac style and trying to suppress freedom of the press.

He accused that the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), the Central Government’s advertising releasing nodal agency was asked to stop issuing advertisements to these big media houses such as The Hindu, The Times Group etc for their critical reports. “The undemocratic and megalomaniac style of stopping Government advertisements is a message to the media from this Government to toe its line. Rafale deal was engulfed in controversies, favouritism and corruption. The Hindu newspaper exposed it. The Times of India exposed the violation of Model Code of Conduct by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Telegraph and ABP were critical of the Prime Minister. This is a democratic country and the freedom of expression and freedom of press are so much important that everybody must stand up to protect these basic rights,” he accused Modi Government.

As per the industry statistics, Times of India Group is getting an average of more than Rs.15 crores/ month from Central Government’s advertisements and The Hindu is getting around Rs.4crores/ month on an average basis. It is heard that The Times Group’s Managing Director Vineet Jain is trying to get an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sort out this issue, which hits the revenue of his firm.

Team PGurus

We are a team of focused individuals with expertise in at least one of the following fields viz. Journalism, Technology, Economics, Politics, Sports & Business. We are factual, accurate and unbiased.

View Comments

  • information and broadcasting minister Mr Javedekar claimed only the other day that his government firmly believed in freedom of press even as the Modi government banned two Malayalam TV channels for their independent reportage of Delhi riots. Soon after taking over power in 2014 an attempt was made to take over editorial control of the leading news agency PTI. Some alert board members foiled the attempt at the last minute. A pliable person was sought to be made the Editor in Chief in the place of Mr Razdan. ANI news agency has now become a propaganda tool of the governemnt. UNIVARTHA the hindi wing of UNI through liberal grant of funds also toes the line of the govenment. There are any number of TV Channels which are loyal to the governmnt. The ones which did not toe the line faced problems including Probes. Now the last weapon of the government release of advertisement with tax payers money is also being used to muzzle the media. The Hindu, Times of India and Telegraph does not need government's mercy to secure government ads. The decision to release govt ads should not be left to the sole discretion of IB ministry. Some professional body should be constituted to regulate the flow of ads using tax payers money. Institutions one after are becoming victims. It is not good for democracy

  • Excellent move by Govt.
    Such -ve reporting should be discouraged.
    Many more such TV news channels also should be banned for Govt. Ads

  • Excellent decision by the government why should it pay for its own malignment and the mentioned media outlets are poster boys of prestitution, the Times Group playing both ways I mean do they think that the public or the government doesn't understand this, the Hindu is rabidly anti Hindu and Telegraph is a biased Leftist propaganda outlet, let the money be distributed among smaller media outlets which will increase competition and force these media outlets to bring more content driven, truthful and unbiased news

  • Excellent decision. The affected publications are not worth the paper they are printed on.
    ₹10/kg,the price of raddi, is their real value.

  • Very good decision by PM Modi govt. To issue government advertisements, PM Modi govt should rank medias ( print and digital) based on their religious affiliations and neutrality of reporting. Big media houses should not be allowed to make business profits by playing clever pro and anti-govt strategies at the same time.

  • Good Decision.

    iSolve is the best CKYC solution provider in India. The best Central KYC software vendors in India provided by iSolve Technologies. The CKYC Software solutions used for banks, NBFC's, financial institutions & e-wallet companies.

  • You seem to be a Rabid anti Liberal and a Hardcore Modi/Hindu Fanatic who are trying to peddle Fake news in order to Polish the image of Mr. Modi. The truth will come out sooner or later.

  • Of all the newspapers, Times of India is the real fox, clever and treacherous. It's a past master in influencing the gullible readers through it's devious and slanted reporting. Catholic organisations and Church bodies have invested heavily in the Times of India Group. And there is no way it can pretend to be independent or neutral. It's not; the way it had done reporting of Pukwama attack on the CRPF convoy exposed it like never before. It's good tax payers is now being being denied to this news paper. Running with hares and hunting with dogs is a practice honed by the owners of Times Group. While the print media sells news packaged in a manner and style not easily discernible, the electronic one, Times Now pretends to pro BJP while the other, Mirror Now specializes in churning pro Congress news. How clever!

  • Very good decision...media can critisize but with facts not that they run their agenda in the name of media

Recent Posts

Siddaramaiah govt under NCBC lens after it pushes for Religion-based quota in Karnataka

NCBC is dissatisfied with the Karnataka government's blanket categorization of Muslims as backward castes The…

12 hours ago

RBI bans Kotak Mahindra Bank from onboarding new customers via online, mobile banking channels and issuing new credit cards

RBI cracks down on Kotak Mahindra Bank In a major regulatory move, the Reserve Bank…

13 hours ago

JP Morgan CEO lauds economic reforms by Modi govt; says PM Modi lifted 400 mn people out of poverty

Some of Modi govt’s economic reforms could be introduced in US as well: JP Morgan…

14 hours ago

India, Japan hold talks on Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Export Control

India-Japan disarmament talks in Tokyo: Highlights security concerns India-Japan held the 10th Round of Consultations…

14 hours ago

After backlash over Sam Pitroda’s inheritance tax comment, Congress distances itself saying his views not always aligned with party

Congress into damage control mode amid backlash over Sam Pitroda's comments on wealth redistribution After…

17 hours ago

ECI issues show cause notice to Trinamool MLA Hamidul Rahman for intimidating voters

Election Commission acts against TMC's Hamidul Rahman for threatening voters, own party workers, Opposition On…

18 hours ago

This website uses cookies.