Mumbai: Industrialist Rajiv Bajaj is hailed from cross section of the society for blacklisting TV News Channels that are engaged in hate mongering, peddling fake news, and promoting toxic and agenda driven journalism.
"A businessman extraordinary!" senior lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan wrote on Twitter.
"He pulled ads from three televisions because they promoted toxic content. He puts humanity over profits. Salute!" he added.
Bhushan was hailing Rajiv Bajaj for blacklisting three news channels after Mumbai Police unearthed a fake TRP scam wherein it alleged that viewers were paid for watching some news channels known for hate mongering to fake their rating.
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Hailing Rajiv Bajaj's decision, satirist Akash Banerjee offered Bajaj Auto free advertising space on 'The Deshbhakt', his political and social satire platform. The popular YouTube channel has more than 1.5 million subscribers, and a monthly reach of over 100 million.
"To me it is a wise decision because my child, my brother’s children can’t inherit an India and a society where such hate festers. It was a simple choice and I made it,” Bajaj said talking to media.
”M.S. Dhoni, is a close friend and I was incredibly hurt when someone gave a rape threat to his five-year-old baby girl who is part of my family. I said enough of this toxic hate. Bajaj Auto does not endorse hate mongering in society and a strong brand is the foundation on which you build a business,” Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director of Bajaj Auto who is known for his outspoken approach, said.
"So brave to say even the most basic and humane things today in India", senior journalist, Rama Lakshmi, who earlier worked with The Washington Post, wrote on Twitter.
Soon after Rajiv Bajaj's announcement went viral, Parle Products - another leading industrial group, too went public declaring that it will no more give advertisements to news channels engaged in irresponsible and divisive reporting.
According to a report published in the newspaper Mint, Parle’s senior category head Krishnarao Buddha said that the channels promoting aggression and toxicity are not the kind the company wants to put money into as it does not favour its target consumer.
“We are exploring possibilities wherein other advertisers can come together and sort of put a restraint on their advertising spends on news channels, so that there is some sort of a clear signal to all the news channels, that they better change their content,” the newspaper quoted Buddha as saying.
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