The IANS ‘story’ was then republished by several news platforms.
This doesn’t happen everyday, does it? IANS on Wednesday reported a story that had already happened 11 years ago. Why? Because the news agency saw an ad on the frontpage of the Times of India.
Here’s what seems to have happened. The Times of India on Wednesday republished its frontpage from April 3, 2011. In the very next page though, the daily explained that this was a marketing gimmick to advertise Oreo. It was an ad, yes. “Today’s frontpage is not a mistake. TOI is joining Oreo to #Bringback2011 to help team India bring back the Cup,” the paper made abundantly clear. “Oreo is launching itself again in 2022 because when it launched in 2011, Team India won.”
IANS didn’t get the memo, as it were. The agency’s journalists picked up a report from the 2011 frontpage – the ad, that is – about the CBI filing its first chargesheet in the 2G scam and naming former union minister A Raja in it.
The media must be free and fair, uninfluenced by corporate or state interests. That's why you, the public, need to pay to keep news free.
ContributeThe IANS “story” was promptly picked up and published by a host of news platforms. Aren’t news platforms supposed to verify what they publish, you ask?
General elections are around the corner, and Newslaundry and The News Minute have ambitious plans together to focus on the issues that really matter to the voter. From political funding to battleground states, media coverage to 10 years of Modi, choose a project you would like to support and power our journalism.
Ground reportage is central to public interest journalism. Only readers like you can make it possible. Will you?