This week we shift gears to bring you a special episode breaking down what ad-funded programming looks like on TV news and what different forms this monster has taken in the Indian news ecosphere.
First up is an advertorial in Hindi from the Telugu-speaking state of Telangana on NDTV. Almost passed off as news, we look at how such ‘sponsored features’ are aired without any explicit disclaimers and what this implies for the role of the media in a democracy.
We then look at two weekly shows on ABP News called "Modi Tracker" and "Yogi Tracker" which are technically not advertorials, except they are functionally indistinguishable.
Speaking of ads on TV news, we can't not talk about the morning shop Ramdev sets up on India TV, offering cures for every affliction under the sun, from prostate cancer to brain tumors!
How does this ad-funded programming work and what does it mean for you as a viewer but also, crucially, as the citizen of a democracy?
And why should you pay to keep news free?
Watch.
TV Newsance is Newslaundry’s weekly media critique and political satire show. We watch TV news so you don't have to!
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