“Paid News Syndrome in Print Media” A Study Based on selective Newspapers Readers in Jaipur City.

Abstract

The importance of Newspapers cannot be understated. They are of vital importance to us. They come to know about the happenings in the world. The Newspapers cover almost every aspect of life- social, economic, political, cultural, etc. They design a complete picture of our day-to-day life. The objective of the freedom given to the media is to facilitate transparency, more accountability of public servants, and check the corruption. However, what happens when the mass media houses them falls prey to corrupt designs, especially during election campaigns. Journalists are often showered with lavish gifts and other favors that include foreign tours and cash. The result is that these journalists strive to serve those from whom they have received favors forgetting that they will be compromising with the primary objective of journalism, which is to work in the public interest. The evils of paid news are posing a threat to ethics and value-based journalism. It is intended to destroy the credibility of the media itself.