One could blame the Jain brothers of the Times of India — perhaps the richest newspaper and media group worldwide — for the phenomenon of paid news which has become ubiquitous with the market leader ToI openly proclaiming that it is ready, willing and able to publish purchased news. This in your ’umble editor’s view is not news, but advertising by another name.
Regrettably, this latter day phenomenon of paid news has also crept into education publishing pioneered in India by EducationWorld (estb. 1999). The unexpected commercial success of this publication — the outcome of old-style news reporting, albeit with sympathy for educationists combating government incursions into private education but without breaching the firewall between editorial and marketing — has inspired several pretender publications with commerce as their prime motive. These latter day education publications not only overtly plagiarise the annual school and preschool ratings and rankings introduced by EducationWorld, but have ventured beyond.
For instance, what is one to make of a message from a magazine/portal styled Education Today which announces its intent on Whatsapp to publish Top 50 “eminent names from the education fraternity who have made their mark in education sector” contingent upon their paying a fee of “Rs.40,000 per page plus GST (minimum 2 pages required)”? What is the credibility of this list of education visionaries given that enlistment is dependent upon payment of the stipulated sum?
Theoretically, it’s possible that the country’s worst school leaders will make it into the magazine’s Top 50 educationists list, not on merit but on ability and willingness to pay. But curiously, there’s no shortage of educationists, including school/college promoters and principals ready, willing and able to purchase such fake encomiums and honours. One expects greater intelligence and better judgement from education leaders.