The ‘troubling nexus’ doesn’t trouble too many

Several Indian newspapers which have tie-ups with the New York Times have re-run Heather Timmons‘ piece on people of Indian origin returning to the United States because they find it difficult to work in the motherland.

Surprise, surprise—or perhaps no surprise, no surprise—almost all of them have excised former Mint editor, currently Washington Post managing editor, Raju Narisetti’s damning quote on “the troubling nexus of business, politics and publishing“.

No mention of Narisetti or the “troubling nexus” in 624 words of The Economic Times re-run.

No mention of Narisetti or the “troubling nexus” in 306 words of The Indian Express re-run.

No mention of Narisetti or the “troubling nexus” in 821 words of The Telegraph, re-run.

There is a mention of Narisetti and the “troubling nexus” in 1,293 words in the online edition of The Times of India, but not the print edition.

One of the few newspapers that does carry Narisetti on the “troubling nexus” is the Bangalore-based Deccan Herald.

‘The Tribune broke Liberhan story 5 months ago’

The “national” media in India—a loose moniker that alludes to Delhi-based newspapers, magazines and TV stations—are routinely accused of picking up stories from the regional language press and passing them off as “exclusives” when no one is watching.

Fingers are now being pointed at the northern editions of The Indian Express which on November 23 “broke” the contents of the Liberhan Commission report on the demolition of the Babri masjid.

The “leak” resulted in the report, 17 years in the making, being hurriedly tabled in Parliament, and the paper published a mandatory ad on its pages the following day crowing its scoop.

But a group of anonymous journalists say in an email say that the Liberhan report contents were actually revealed by The Tribune, Chandigarh, almost five months earlier in two page-one stories (here and here) on consecutive days by Naveen S. Garewal.

This is the text of a chainmail doing the rounds:

The Indian Express claims  is now claiming that the story on Liberhan commission indicting Advani others has been first reported by the Express.

This is nothing but lies.

The Tribune, a 127-year-old newspaper published from Chandigarh, broke the story on July 1, 2009. The Express only copied (a major portion of that the story) and passed it off as its own.

NDTV please note.

Should so-called ethical journalists not give credit to Tribune, which broke the story?

Be true to your profession.

Newspaper facsimiles: courtesy The Tribune, The Indian Express

Eric Steward reveals Plan B to save newspapers

Reuters news agency throws kindly light on the kind of folk likely to respond to the prayers of newspaper publishers, managers, editors and journalists:

81-year-old Australian man goes out to buy a newspaper.

Takes a wrong turn onto a major highway.

Drives 400 miles in 9 hours.

Buys newspaper.

Read the full story: Lost man drives nine hours to get paper

The best editor The Pioneer, Delhi, never had?

The writer Rudyard Kipling was once on its rolls; the former British prime minister Winston Churchill served as its war correspondent.

Now, The Pioneer, New Delhi, has announced its best editor who wasn’t: Eric Arthur Blair

In a front-page story, the right-wing paper reports that the left-wing novelist and political thinker (born in Motihari, Bihar) received a letter from The Pioneer offering him a job as editor.

And on February 12, 1938, Blair wrote to the India Office in London:

“My object in going to India is, apart from the work on The Pioneer, to try and get a clearer idea of political and social conditions in India than I have at present. I shall no doubt write some book on the sub-continent and if I can arrange it, I shall probably contribute occasional articles (to English periodicals).

“ps: I should have said that I usually write under the name of ‘George Orwell‘.”

Cover image: courtesy Time

Also read: How Chandan Mitra has his halwa and hogs it too

For the record: anything goes. (Conditions apply)

GEORGE ORWELL: Six steps to write better English

Letters modern-day authors no longer write

From the superb blog Letters of Note, a dream letter from the science fiction writer Isaac Asimov that every editor would love to dream of.

Visit the blog: Letters of Note

Will India’s greatest questioner raise his hand?

Stephen J. Dubner, the journalist who co-authored Freakonomics with the economist Steven D. Levitt, writes on his blog that the most interesting question thrown in the run-up to their new book, SuperFreakonomics, has come from an (unnamed) Indian journalist.

In fact, the blog post is titled: “The greatest question ever asked?”

The question:

“You state that your book is based on one fundamental assumption about human nature: people respond to incentives. Which is another way of saying that people are basically selfish. Take someone like Jesus Christ. What was his “incentive” to go on the cross?”

Read the full post here: The greatest question ever asked?

A house for Mr & Mrs Roy for Rs 270,000,000

From The Insider column in the Indian edition of Forbes:

“We hear that that grand old titan [of Indian steel], Russi Mody, is selling his two-storied bungalow on Calcutta’s tony Belvedere Road. Apparently he has a lifetime interest in the property, and it will change hands only after he passes on.

“One of our avian friends tells us that the Roys of NDTV are close to finalising a deal, for around Rs 27 crore.

“Prannoy Roy doesn’t have much of a connection with the City aside from his Bengaliness, but Radhika Roy grew up there. Perhaps that will be their retirement home? Not that we’re expecting them to be putting up their feet anytime soon. After all Mr. Mody, despite the legendary 16-egg breakfasts, is in robust health. Prannoyda, we’re sure you’ll join us in wishing you a long wait!”

For the record, Forbes India is published by Raghav Bahl’s Network 18 which competes with NDTV’s news, business and lifestyle channels.

Photograph: courtesy Queen Mary University of London

Also read: 26% of India’s most powerful are media barons

The 11 habits of India’s most powerful media pros

‘The endgame is near for both NDTV and TV18′

An ‘A List’ most A-listers don’t want to be a part of

India’s best editors, wiser than rest together?

Via Twitter, CNN-IBN editor-in-chief Rajdeep Sardesai, names the “most outstanding election analysts across channels” on counting day, October 22. His verdict: Kumar Ketkar, editor of the Marathi daily Loksatta, and Palagummi Sainath, rural affairs editor of The Hindu, both of whom were on CNN-IBN.

“Wiser than all Delhi editors put together,” says Sardesai, whose own election show had the usual sprinkling of said “Delhi editors”, who also appeared on CNN-IBN.

Ahem.

Also read: Don’t ask me, ask her. Don’t ask me, ask him

It ain’t over till the fat lady & the slim boy sing

The latest round of State elections has ended with a clear victor in each State, but the bragging rights has only just begun.

CNN-IBN, quoting Television Audience Measurement (TAM) ratings, claims it was “India’s most watched English news channel across audience groups across India on polling day. The channel was the leader in all-India market across target groups (TGs).”

Times Now, citing data released by aMap, says it recorded more viewers than its nearest competitors put together.

The claims of NDTV 24×7 are eagerly awaited.

Also read: Never let facts come in the way of a good story

Iran to China, Newsweek has the story covered

More wisdom from the all-seeing, all-knowing editors of Newsweek*.

On the left, the cover of the June 1, 2009 issue. Coverline: “Everything you think you know about Iran is wrong“.

On the right, the cover of the October 26, 2009 issue. Coverline: “Everything you know about China is wrong“.

Also read: Who, why, when, how, where, what, what the…

How a slumdweller became a Newsweek reporter

*Disclosures apply