Categories
-Top News Media USA

Washington Post for sale?

Jeff Bezos to sell Washington Post to buy NFL team Commanders…reports Asian Lite News

Bezos was persuaded to purchase the Post in 2013 in order to ensure financial stability and online expansion.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is likely to sell the American newspaper Washington Post to buy the football team Washington Commanders, according to the New York Post.

The Washington Post is believed to be up for sale by one logical suitor, who intends to submit a proposal, according to a source with firsthand knowledge of the matter. The source declined to identify the suitor. A second newspaper buyer and seller claimed to have heard rumours that the publication might be for sale.
However, as per several media reports, a spokesperson for Bezos said the Washington Post is not for sale. A spokesperson for the journal — the owner of which, News Corp, also owns the New York Post, also stated the paper is not for sale.

Notably, Bezos bought the Washington Post in 2013 for USD 250 million. New York Post reported that Bezos is ‘looking to clear the way’ to get the Commanders from embattled owner Dan Snyder.

Reportedly, the Commanders, who have won three Super Bowls, lifting the Lombardi Trophy in 1983, 1988 and 1992, are seen by their potential investors as a sleeping giant franchise in a major market.

According to reports, Bezos is facing trouble because the struggling owner of the Commanders, Dan Snyder, is still angry about the illustrious newspaper’s series of exposes exposing a poisonous management culture at the team, where bosses including Snyder are allegedly responsible for enabling sexual harassment.

The Washington Post.(photo:wikipedia)

Meanwhile, Front Office Sports, a multiplatform media brand that covers the influence of sports on business and culture reported that Bank of America, hired by Snyder to auction the Commanders, “continues to court Bezos — even if there are indications that Snyder doesn’t want to sell” to the Amazon founder, New York Post reported.

The Commanders apparently accepted first-round bids from potential buyers last week, but Bezos, who supposedly has been in negotiations with Jay-Z to form a buyout partnership, wasn’t one of them.

Moreover, Bezos has time and again claimed that football is his favourite sport but has not claimed publically whether he would like to add a National Football League (NFL) team to his establishment.

Despite experiencing expansion quickly under Bezos with massive coverage, the newspaper apparently planned to lose money in 2022 after years of profits as circulation dwindled after the end of the Trump administration.

If Bezos does make a bid for the team, it will be an intriguing test for the Snyders given his tremendous wealth and purchasing power.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who is among the richest people in the world, revealed in November what he ultimately plans to do with his fortune of billions of dollars.

In an interview with American broadcaster CNN, the billionaire said he plans to donate the majority of his wealth to charitable causes within his lifetime. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Capitol rioter who breached Pelosi’s office convicted

Categories
Kerala Media

Asianet News dominates the ratings in 2022

While there was a dip in the overall ratings recorded – something which is attributed to the emergence of OTT platforms, Asianet News did not seem to be affected…reports Asian Lite News

The year 2022 was an important one for the Indian Broadcasters as it witnessed the restart of the rating wars following the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), the country’s premier agency that measure the TRP, commenced its rating a considerably long gap.

While it has been a close call among the national news channels, with each channel finding reasons to rejoice by interpreting data under various categories to their own benefit, it was not the case when it came to the news channels in Kerala. Asianet News, the oldest news broadcaster in Malayalam, started from where it had left off – on top of the table.

While there was a dip in the overall ratings recorded – something which is attributed to the emergence of OTT platforms, Asianet News did not seem to be affected. While in 2020, the channel was facing tight competition from its immediate rival, 24 News, in 2022 the channel increased the lead, leaving the competitors far behind. The channel successfully managed to retain its dominance for the rest of the year. There were weeks when Asianet News recorded clocked figures that were more than the compiled ratings of channels in second and third positions.

Besides the overall viewership rating, the Asianet News also dominated the time slot between 8 pm and 9 pm during the year 2022. This time slot, dubbed as prime-time, is when most news channels telecast their debate shows. Asianet News telecasts their debate show, News Hour, in this time slot.

ALSO READ: Chandru is new Deputy High Commissioner for Karnataka and Kerala

Categories
India News Media UK News

Channel 4 news presenter wants blacks, Asians to head TV channels

Guru-Miurthy’s comments came even as Indians have become the largest non-white ethnic group in the UK…reports Asian Lite News

Pitching for diversity among senior-most executives in media houses, Indian-origin newscaster Krishnan Guru-Murthy has said that it is about time a black or Asian person runs a British television channel.

The Channel 4 news presenter said although Jewish people have been well-represented at the top levels, there are “still no black or Asian people running our biggest broadcasters”, the Guardian reported.

At the Channel 4 Inclusion Fest on Wednesday, the journalist rued that there was a monoculture among the power-makers behind-the-scenes.

“We have, I have argued before, already seen what happens when you get a lack of diversity in broadcasting management. It gets judgments wrong, or doesn’t appear to know how to react,” Guru-Murthy was reported as saying by the Guardian.

The longest-serving Channel 4 presenter, who faced racism while growing up in Lancashire in the 1980s, said that one inevitably ends up making wrong decisions due to the absence of diversity of thought at the top level.

“Like any kid who grew up as a minority, even in a relatively well off, middle class life, I’d been called racist names, pushed around and picked on by a racist bully, had NF for National Front written on my blazer and school books,” Guru-Murthy said at the fest that highlighted the issues of ethnicity, disability and transgender people in the media.

Guru-Miurthy’s comments came even as Indians have become the largest non-white ethnic group in the UK.

According to the 2021 census which was released on Tuesday, the number of Persons of Indian Origin in the UK increased to 3.1 per cent of the total population from 2.5 per cent (14.12 lakh) recorded in the 2011 census.

However, Guru-Murthy, who fronts Channel 4 News’ podcast ‘Ways to Change the World’, added that his Asian background helped him early in his career.

Last month, Guru-Murthy was taken off air for a week by Channel 4 for swearing at Conservative MP Steve Baker.

During an off-air moment, he was caught on camera calling the Northern Ireland minister a “c***” outside 10 Downing Street.

ALSO READ-Racism rocks British royalty

Categories
Asia News Culture Media

AMMA opens at Tara Theatre

Amma, a virtual reality performance where Bangladeshi women’s experiences of the war of independence will take centre stage … writes Riccha Grrover

A powerful virtual reality performance where Bangladeshi women’s experiences of the War of Independence will take centre stage. This thought-provoking production will allow audiences to experience first-hand what it was like to experience the war and in turn leave for the UK in the 1970s and 80s in quest for a new life.

Developed from artist-led story-gathering workshops with local Bangladeshi women in Birmingham, Walsall, Manchester and London, and brought to life by director Abdul Shayek and writer Kamal Kaan, AMMA will shed light on the often unheard experience of women through the War of Independence in Bangladesh, vividly preserving these important voices for future generations.

Developed from first-hand testimonies from Bangladeshi women in Birmingham, Walsall, Manchester and London, Amma is directed by Abdul Shayek and written by Kamal Kaan and runs at Tara Theatre until 17th December 2022. Amma is supported by the National Theatre Immersive Storytelling Studio.

Amma tells important stories, it’s a much anticipated theatre performance coming up in London at Tara Theatre. Deeply moving, this production through cutting-edge 360 VR storytelling, will transport you across time to locales in Bangladesh and back, to shed light on experiences from women who lived through the War of Independence and rebuilding a life in 1970s and 1980s Britain. This production will vividly bring to life and preserve these important voices for future generations.

Amma is directed by Abdul Shayek and runs at Tara Theatre from 30 November – 17 December. BOOK NOW

Box office: 020 8333 4457
info@taratheatre.com

356 Garratt Lane
Earlsfield, London SW18 4ES

Categories
Celebrity Media Music

DESI LION RECORDS PRESENTS GREEN EYEZ

2022/2023 will see MILAN take the music industry by storm with releases with major music producers and performances at events and festivals

Multi-talented UK based singer MILAN releases his 2nd track ‘GREEN EYEZ’ releasing worldwide on the 26thSeptember 2022.

Produced by Desi Lion Records, Lyrics by LOVE, music by Notorious Jatt. Video was shot in the UK, based on a love story which follows the path of both girl and boy love relationship.

In 2021 we saw MILAN’S release produced by award winning producer Aman Hayer, ‘BAI CHAMKILA’ which proved to be a international success.

2022/2023 will see MILAN take the music industry by storm with releases with major music producers and performances at events and festivals.

Categories
-Top News Asia News Media

NEWS IN PICS- Bachchan@80 and others

Asian Lite/London Daily News Desk compiles today’s news pictures

Categories
-Top News Media

Facebook losing its grip in US

It even once stayed out of the Top 10 for as long as 37 consecutive days in 2022, the firm noted, up from just two consecutive days in 2021…reports Asian Lite News

Meta-owned Facebook has been struggling to maintain its position among the Top 10 apps on the US App Store this year, says a new report.

According to an analysis of iPhone App Store data, as younger consumers shift to newer social networking experiences like TikTok and now BeReal, the tech giant’s app has lost traction in the App Store’s Top Charts, reports TechCrunch.

As per the report, last year, Facebook only fell out of the Top 10 free iPhone apps in the US seven times. But in 2022, that figure has already soared to 97 — an indication that Facebook may be losing ground as new apps push their way into the App Store’s top rankings.

For a more direct comparison, Facebook’s app fell out of the App Store’s Top 10 apps just six times during the first half of 2021. In the first half of 2022, however, it has dropped out of this grouping a total of 59 times, per data provided to TechCrunch by app intelligence firm Sensor Tower.

It even once stayed out of the Top 10 for as long as 37 consecutive days in 2022, the firm noted, up from just two consecutive days in 2021.

Additional analysis provided by another App Store data provider, data.ai, formerly App Annie, also supported this conclusion — though it found the app dropped out of the Top 10 on iPhone in the US only 4 times throughout 2021, compared with 110 days in 2022 so far.

It found Facebook’s drop-off times this year were mainly concentrated in April, May and June. April was Facebook’s worst month so far, as the app’s rank fell into the 30s on April 18, and then reached as low as No. 44 on April 21.

Notably, this was around when BeReal was climbing the App Store’s Top Charts, breaking into the Top 5.

Currently, BeReal is the No. 1 non-gaming app on the US App Store.

ALSO READ: Peter Thiel steps down from board of Facebook parent Meta

Categories
India News Media

SC judge seeks regulatory law for social, digital media

Justice Pardiwala said India still can’t be classified as a complete and mature democracy, and social and digital media is employed frequently to politicise legal and constitutional issues…reports Asian Lite News

Supreme Court judge Justice J.B. Pardiwala on Sunday called on Parliament to consider introducing appropriate legislative and regulatory provisions to regulate digital and social media as trials by digital media cause undue interference in the process of justice dispensation, as he cited various instances of media crossing “Laxman Rekha”.

Justice Pardiwala, who was part of the Supreme Court bench, which slammed former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for “igniting” the country and damaging the social fabric with her remark on Prophet Muhammad, emphasised on regulating digital and social media in the country to preserve the rule of law.

Media trials are not healthy for rule of law, he said in his address on topic “Vox Populi vs. Rule of Law: Supreme Court of India” in the 2nd Justice H.R. Khanna Memorial National Symposium.

“Regulation of digital and social media especially in the context of sensitive trials which are sub judice, must be dwelt upon by the Parliament by introducing appropriate legislative and regulatory provisions in this regard,” he said.

He said a trial is essentially a process to be carried out by courts, however in the modern-day context, trials by digital media are an undue interference in the process of justice dispensation and cross that “Laxman Rekha” many times.

Justice Pardiwalwa said a section of people, possessing half-truths, scrutinising the judicial process “are a real challenge to dispensation of justice through the rule of law. Social and digital media nowadays primarily resorted to express personalised opinions against judges per say rather than a constructive critical appraisal of their judgments”.

He said constitutional courts have graciously accepted informed dissent and cited the personalised agenda-driven attacks on judges.

“This is where digital and social media needs to be mandatorily regulated in the country to preserve the rule of law and our Constitution. Attacks on judges for their judgments lead to a dangerous scenario,” he said.

Justice Pardiwala said India still can’t be classified as a complete and mature democracy, and social and digital media is employed frequently to politicise legal and constitutional issues.

Citing the judgment in Ayodhya title dispute, he pointed out that as the case was nearing the verdict, there were political overtones. “Judges deciding the dispute may get a bit shaken, which is antithetic to the rule of law. That is not healthy for the rule of law.”

He emphasised that social media is overrun by people “possessing half-truth” and those who don’t understand rule of law, evidence, judicial process and its inherent limitations. Citing cases of serious offences, Justice Pardiwala said the immense power of social and digital media is resorted to precipitating a perception of guilt or innocence of the accused even before the trial is over.

Justice Pardiwala said he was a firm believer of the rule of law had no exceptions and that the opinion of the public hardly mattered when it came to judicial verdicts and added judicial verdicts could not be reflections of the influence of public opinion on the court.

ALSO READ-US SC limits Biden’s power to curb emissions

Categories
Asia News Media World News

India bans Twitter accounts of several Pak journos, diplomatic missions

India has banned the official Twitter accounts of several Pakistani diplomatic missions, journalists and some prominent personalities under the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad has claimed

 The banned accounts include accounts of the Pakistani Embassy in UN, Turkey, Iran and Egypt.

 “Deeply concerning that #India has blocked the flow of information to Indian Twitter by withholding access to the following official accounts,” Geo News quoted the Ministry as saying in a tweet on Monday night, while listing down the banned accounts.

 “Diminishing space for plurality of voices & access to info in India is extremely alarming,” the tweet added.

 The Ministry called out Twitter, saying that social media platforms should abide by the applicable international norms.

 It said that the government of Pakistan is urging the tech company to restore access to the restricted accounts immediately and ensure adherence to democratic freedoms of speech and expression.

 Meanwhile, the Twitter handles of journalists, including The News and Geo News reporter in London, Murtaza Ali Shah and CJ Werleman have also been withheld by the company under India’s Information Technology Act, 2000, Geo News reported.

 Murtaza Ali Shah has around 550,000 followers on his verified Twitter @MurtazaViews account.

 He has been associated with The News and Geo for more than 17 years.

 Shah confirmed he received an email notice from Twitter about India’s legal action against his account.

Categories
Interview Lite Blogs Media

How ‘Daily Milap’ intricately involved in the history of freedom struggle

The Urdu editor and the reader have a personal equation, which does not exist in any other language. I am a family member of my reader…reports Rahul Kumar

One of India’s oldest Urdu newspapers, The Daily Milap has an interesting history that spans three countries — India, Pakistan and even the UK. The newspaper and its owner-editors also share an intricate weave and weft with that of the growth of the country and the evolution of Indian society. Interestingly and perplexingly, the change is not much reflected in the readership of the Urdu press, which still remains anchored to the days of yore.

India Narrative catches up with Navin Suri, Chief Editor of The Daily Milap at his office on the Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, often called India’s Fleet Street. The newspaper has entered its 100th year, which is an achievement in tech-driven times where established publications, and even late entrants, have been falling like ninepins.

With more than four decades behind him as editor, Suri talks at length about the fading sheen of the Urdu media, challenges from the ever-evolving technology and Milap’s journey through the decades.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: How is this long journey of Milap interwoven with that of India?


Suri: Milap has been intricately involved with the freedom struggle of the country. My father and my five uncles were all involved in the freedom movement.

My uncle Ranbir Singh was a close confidant of Bhagat Singh. After the bombing, Bhagat Singh was arrested along with his comrades. They were put in solitary confinement and the British were trying to extract information from them unsuccessfully. They devised a plan and told Bhagat Singh that his other comrades had turned approvers, which was not true.

Bhagat Singh’s father Kishan Singh got wind of this. He came to us and said how do we relay this information to Bhagat Singh that nobody has revealed information to the British?

At that time, relatives were allowed to meet the prisoners once a week under a watchful eye.

So, on the day that Kishan Singh had to visit Bhagat Singh in jail, Milap published a news on its front page saying that, ‘nothing had happened and Bhagat Singh should not worry’. Inside the jail, Bhagat Singh was on hunger strike when his father visited him with jalebis wrapped in Milap. Bhagat Singh was confused because his father knew that he would not accept food due to the hunger strike.

During that meeting Bhagat Singh’s father told him, ‘jalebi sut dein, lekin akhbar deikh lein’, (throw the jalebis but do read the newspaper) which confused Bhagat Singh further. However, he did what he was told and he read the newspaper carefully. He eventually understood that his comrades had not buckled under British pressure.

Q: Can you share more interesting anecdotes like this with our readers?

Suri: In another case — the Hindi Aandolan, Master Tara Singh was fighting for a Punjabi Subba and wanted the Sikhs and Hindus alike to mention that their mother tongue was Punjabi. Hindu organisations also stood up to say that Hindi was the mother tongue for both the communities.

Finally, the matter reached Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

It must have been around 1960-1961 and both sides went to Nehru to present their case. In their presentation, Master Tara Singh and Sant Fateh Singh showed Nehru clippings of Milap to say that Punjabi should be made the mother tongue.

In their presentation, the Hindu Mahasabha and the Arya Samaj too showed Milap cuttings to Nehru and stressed that Hindi should be made the mother tongue. Nehru was amused and told both the parties, ‘aap Punjabi ke liye lad rahe hain, aur aap Hindi ke liye lad rahe hain, lekin akhbar Urdu ka dikha rahe hain. (You are fighting for Punjabi and you are fighting for Hindi, but both of you bring newspapers in Urdu).

Q: What are the changes that you have seen in Indian society over this long period?

Suri: There is more acceptability of societal issues among people. For example, divorce does not have the same taboo that we once had. Earlier so much was vested in a marriage through culture and society. Now divorce has been accepted by women as well as ‘respectable families’.

I also see tolerance grow in religion and faith and in forging and un-forging of friendships. Earlier if someone said something about religion or a guru, people would be thrown out of the village and ‘hukka pani band ho jata tha’ (people would be ostracised from the community). It is no longer the case.

Q: How is the Urdu news reader different from that of the English or the Hindi news reader?


Suri: It is a tricky question. The Urdu reader is personally involved in his newspaper and so is the editor. I still write the editorials under my name, wherein I address the readers as ‘main aur tum’ (I and you).

Our readers write letters to us as if they know me personally. An Urdu reader may not know me but I will get invited for his family occasions like marriages and even bereavement in his family.

On other occasions, I will get a letter from a father, asking me speak with his 19-year-old daughter who wants to study. The father wants me to persuade his daughter to get married because that is the tradition in the family.

The Urdu editor and the reader have a personal equation, which does not exist in any other language. I am a family member of my reader.

The relationship between us is such that the reader is expected to send letters to us and the editor is expected to publish those letters.

Q: So what are the Urdu readers reading?

Suri: Ever since the Urdu newspapers began publishing from Bengal and from Lahore, they have covered life and society, not just politics. Now politics has been steadily increasing but other aspects of our society continue to be published.

We publish more positive news than about politics or religion. We will still take news about a particular type of kahwa preparation or knitting from Kashmir. Our focus continues to remain on our readers and the society. Readers still like to remain involved personally in the Urdu newspaper.

In earlier days, page one would have politics on one day, religion on the second day, maybe a scandal on the third day and would publish people’s letters and society-related news on another day — all on page one.

We would carry information on knitting because our readers liked to see that in the paper, but that disappeared now. There was a time when we would even carry the complaints of a housewife against her husband.

The subscription for our newspaper is still called ‘chanda’ (donation) instead of subscription. Hum toh chande pe jee rahe hain (We are literally surviving on donations).

The wall in Navin Suri’s office is adorned with swords presented by gurdwaras, a kalma from the Koran that showers blessings and miniature murtis of gods and goddesses

Q: How has Milap kept pace with changes in the media industry?

Suri: We are making a lot of effort but not all of that has met with success.

Urdu no longer enjoys the same glory that it once had but there is no point in hollering about it either. We have to accept that the Urdu media is struggling.

It was in 1983 that we first began computerising Milap. We were looking to Pakistan for help and reached out to the largest Urdu newspaper — Nawai Waqt. However, things did not progress much. Finally, a Hyderabad-based company helped us develop Urdu software. Since then, we have been ahead in the technology race among the Urdu media in India.

Once during the late sixties, we even started publishing from London. The Milap London newspaper was bilingual-printed in Urdu and English. This was in response to the launch of a Pakistani newspaper in London. We lasted about three to four years only.

Q: Every media house is struggling with the online medium. How is Milap coping?

Suri: We are branching out as much as we can. Besides the website, we have a Milap app.

We launched the Milap News Service which provides exclusive Milap articles to the Urdu media. In about nine months we have a subscription base of 86 newspapers for our news service.

We are also providing information to the diplomatic core. The embassies of various countries mainly want to know how their policies are being perceived among our readers. The embassies and diplomats find us dependable and credible in the information that we provide to them.

Q: Another challenge before the mainstream media is the proliferation of fake news and misleading information on social media platforms. However, the responsibility to debunk wrong information often falls on mainstream journalists. How is the Urdu media coping up on this front?

Suri: Well, the Urdu social media too has a lot of fake news. Sometimes it turns out to be very embarrassing for us because people may try to project fake information through us. We nip it in the bud. We try to hit back hard against fake information.

It is very difficult to cure it. ‘Har aadmi apne aap ko khuda samajhta hai’ (Everyone on social media thinks he is god). These are the positives and negatives of technology.

Q: Do you have readership in Pakistan?

Suri: We have no statistics on readers in Pakistan, though we do have Twitter followers there. Milap and Pakistan do have an interesting relationship.

We had been critical of Imran Khan as the prime minister. Finally, one day we noticed that he blocked both of our accounts on Facebook and Twitter. We felt very flattered by this.

Then during the 1971 war, relations between India and Pakistan were at a nadir. One day someone came to us and said that they had caught packets of Milap on the border. Then we came to know that 2,000 copies of our newspaper were being smuggled to Pakistan from the Punjab border every day. So, I guess we have some readers there.

ALSO READ-Freedom At Last?