Guest Column: Indian media is a blessing in disguise
Media is the only guardian of true liberty and freedom because we live in a society in which spurious realities are manufactured by governments, big corporations, religious & political groups, observes Joginder Singh, former CBI Director

Gone are the days, when Indian media consisted of newspapers, daily or weekly or monthly Magazines. Now the media embraces television, radio, cinema, newspapers, magazines, and Internet-based web sites, apart from the entertainment or magazines, about the movies. The total number of registered newspapers, with the Registrar of Newspapers as on 31st March, 2011 was 82,222.
The largest number of newspapers & periodicals registered in any Indian language, are in Hindi numbering 32,793, followed by English, which number 11,478.
The state with the largest number of registered newspapers is Uttar Pradesh (13,065).
The state with the second largest number of registered newspapers is Delhi (10,606).
However the actual number is far more, if you consider the small newspapers published for a particular town or an area of town. Some of them, just do not bother for registration, as no paper moves in the Government unless the wheels of money move it. When I asked a friend running such a newspaper in a small place, he told me, that a dozen trips to fulfil the requirements were fruitless. The days turned into weeks and weeks to months and still nothing happened to his correctly filed request. He said, that it is for this reason, that people cultivate politicians and powerful people, so that, on a word from them, their legitimate work is done in a jiffy, without having to bribe anybody.
The biggest source of advancement and diffusion is knowledge, which is communicated by the media. It is, the only guardian, of true liberty and freedom of the people because today we live in a society in which spurious realities are manufactured by the governments, by big corporations, by religious groups, political groups... The result is that we are not able to discover the reality, except through the media. Whether it the politician’s statements selling dreams and goods, or frauds on the public, we are bombarded with pseudo-realities manufactured by very sophisticated people using very sophisticated print and electronic media. I do not distrust their motives of the media or the politicians ; I distrust their vast power to influence a large segment of population, only by selling dreams.
In spite of the above view, everybody including myself, to a large degree, has faith in the printed world. Once in a meeting with the Chief Secretary of all Secretary level officers, in my service Cadre of Karnataka, in Bangalore now renamed Bengaluru, one of the official swore by a news item. When the Chief Secretary, GVK Rao asked him, as to how he could say, it was correct, the official replied that it has been printed in a newspaper.
A friend told me that what is published is not all truth. I replied with a conversation, between the Two Lords in London, who were members of the House of Lords there. One of them asked the other, who was a Press Baron “My Lord, everything published in your newspapers is not the truth”. The Press Baron Replied, “ Come on, your Lordship. How can you expect truth in all 50 pages, for 50 pence”. Indian Media is a blessing in disguise. You can read in any newspapers, spiritual matters, crime, and discover brave new world. It is an ocean, where you can pick what you want.
The author is Ex Director, CBI.
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E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur
The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more
With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.
The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.
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Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out
The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'
Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."
The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."
COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.
Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.
He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
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Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board
e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.
According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.
As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.
A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.
Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.
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Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall
The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall
Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.
“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.
“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.
"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."
"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."
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KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias
Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments
KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.
Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy
Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.
Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."
Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."
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