Jagran Exit Poll Gets More Curious. A Paid Advertisement Allegedly Done by a BJP Leader’s Polling Agency???

Wednesday, February 15, 2017



 Read the our previous coverage of the Jagran Exit Poll: HERE

What started out as a mere case of breaking Election Commission ban on exit polls on investigation turns out revealing even more serious crimes. Apparently the poll was a paid advertisement and the polling agency - Research and Development Initiative – owned by a BJP leader. We provide you extracts from Wire.in article.

Many sins were committed when the owners of Dainik Jagran decided to run an exit poll on its website on February 12, 2017 claiming the BJP had a massive lead over its rivals in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

The publication of the exit poll, which Sanjay Gupta – CEO and editor of the Dainik Jagran group – said was “carried by our advertising department” was an example of paid news.

Since we know the poll was a form of paid news, the individual or party that has paid the bill needs to disclose the amount and method of payment as part of their formal returns to the Election Commission.

Ironically, given the way Indian media houses operate, the editor is the last person in the organisation to be consulted about material that is “carried by [the] advertising department”.

But websites are not governed by the PRB Act. Thus the editor cannot automatically be held responsible for whatever is uploaded on to a website. Indeed, since the owners have admitted the exit poll was carried by the advertising department, it is evident that the decision to run the poll was a commercial and not an editorial one. Thus, charging the editor makes no sense. The EC and police run the risk of turning him into a scapegoat while the real culprits get off scot free.

Read the full article: HERE

You Might Also Like

0 comments

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter