Scribes’ body wants ‘paid news’ during state polls probed

New Delhi : Delhi Union of Journalists on Tuesday expressed serious concern over reports of “octopus-like” grip of “paid news” in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls and demanded inquiry as well as action to check the practice.

“Paid news is a blot not only on the press but also to the democratic process,” the DUJ said in a statement.

There has been large-scale practice of “paid news” in the Gujarat elections, a fact-finding team of the Press Council of India claimed on Monday.