Media Adviser Dinesh Mattu kicks off debate on leak handling in Journalism

“Had this report been filed by a desk-top style reporter or a reporter of the frog in a well kind, I would not have been surprised.” He further went on writing on the wall claiming he was shocked that the story was written by his friend Mondal, who has vociferously advised many journos to work as activists.  He summed up his argument in his writings on the FB wall, contending that the leaks have not been handled with maturity by some sections of the media.

When contacted over telephone, Amin Mattu told Newskarnataka.com that the Karnataka correspondent of Hindustan Times, Sudipto was selective in writing the report. The opposition parties were also leaking a few theories to the scribes and in the social media. He asked why Sudipto failed to touch this subject in the report. “Journalists will die  of starvation if there are no leaks by various establishments.” Leak is an integral part of journalism.

Mattu, who has three decades of experience in the media field said he admits a few officers in the police department leaked the story.  However he expressed that journalists who reported on the ‘personal theory’ leaked by the department might have relevant documents. “Sudipto failed to procure pertinent documents and out of this frustration selectively filed the report in Hindustan Times.” Journalists are well in their rights to publish leaked stories. But, Mattu said concocting was against journalistic ethics.  

The Media Adviser backed M N Reddi in the case. Police were well trained to inquest, so M N Reddi. He criticized the style of reportage by Times Now, headed by Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami who in his Newshour show quizzed Reddi and aired the view that the prima-facie opinion of Reddi was wrong. The officer’s prima facie angle could be right as he has vast experience in the police profession.

Mondal says…

On the other hand Sudipto Mondal said “My track record speaks for my credibility and integrity as a journalist”. He said he has reported against many political big-wigs across the party lines and even on one of the chief justices of India to expose the mining mafia and land mafia. “I have no defamation suit filed against me” His primary argument is he writes stories only after procuring documents to corroborate whether the leak was authentic.

He clarified his report was not partisan. Why briefings to the scribes were made off the record? Why officials briefing to the media over personal angle which amount to character assassination of two IAS officers did not go on the record? he questioned. This casts doubts on the part of the department, and in turn, the government.  When asked, whether he has written the report in frustration, not having been successful in securing the documents, he reiterated that his track record speaks for him.