CleanupBot at 04:16, 29 January 2022

2022-01-29T04:16:20Z

New page

{{short description|Indian news agency}}

{{Infobox company
| name = Asian News International
| logo = Ani-logo-black.png
| type = [[News agency]]
| industry = [[Media (communication)|Media]], [[news media]]
| founded = {{Start date and age|1971|12|9}} in [[New Delhi, India]]<ref>{{cite web |title=ANI MEDIA PRIVATE LIMITED - Company, directors and contact details |url=https://www.zaubacorp.com/company/ANI-MEDIA-PRIVATE-LIMITED/U74899DL1971PTC005895 |website=zaubacorp.com |access-date=22 June 2018 |language=en}}</ref>
| founder = Prem Prakash
| hq_location_city = New Delhi
| area_served = India, [[South Asia]]
| key_people = {{Unbulleted list|Sanjiv Prakash ([[Chief Executive Officer|CEO]])|Prem Prakash ([[Chairman]])}}
| owner = ANI Media Private Limited<ref>{{cite web |title=Terms & Conditions |url=https://www.aninews.in/term-condition/ |website=aninews.in |language=en}}</ref>
| parent =
| website = {{URL|aninews.in}}
}}

'''Asian News International''' ('''ANI''') is an Indian [[news agency]] that offers syndicated multimedia news feed to news-bureaus in [[India]] and elsewhere.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MHujEBLJcvIC&pg=PA63|title=News Agencies from Pigeon to Internet|last1=Shrivastava|first1=K. M.|date=2007|publisher=Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd|isbn=9781932705676|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sVffFCoGSuIC&pg=PA122|title=International News in the 21st Century|last1=Paterson|first1=Chris A.|last2=Sreberny|first2=Annabelle|date=2004|publisher=Georgetown University Press|isbn=9781860205965|page=122|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/footaging-it-fleetly/288837|title=Footaging It Fleetly|website=Outlook India Magazine|access-date=2019-12-29}}</ref> Established by Prem Prakash in 1971, it was the first agency in India to syndicate video news<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YsJlAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA16|title=Web Journalism-The Craft & Technology|last1=Saxena|first1=Sunil|publisher=Tata McGraw-Hill Education|isbn=9780070680838|page=16|language=en}}</ref> and {{As of|2019||df=US|alt=as of 2019}}, is the biggest television news agency in India. The news agency has been criticized for having served as a propaganda tool for the central government,<ref name="":0"" /><ref name="":1"" /> distributing materials from a vast network of [[Fake news in India#Fake news against Pakistan|fake news websites]],<ref name="BBC4" /><ref name="Kayali" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> and misreporting events by [[fact checkers]].<ref name="":0"" /><ref name=":3" />

== History ==

=== Establishment and early years (1971–2000) ===
Prem had started his career in the field of photography before being employed by [[Visnews]] (and [[Reuters]]) as a photojournalist, where he went on to cover some of the most significant historical events in post-independence India.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://caravanmagazine.in/reportage/ani-reports-government-version-truth|title=The Image Makers : How ANI Reports The Government's Version Of Truth|last=Donthi|first=Praveen|date=1 March 2019|website=[[The Caravan]]|language=en|url-access=subscription|access-date=2019-12-07}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://the-ken.com/story/ani-video-news-monopoly/|title=How ANI quietly built a monopoly|last=Ahluwalia|first=Harveen|last2=Srivilasan|first2=Pranav|date=2018-10-21|website=The Ken|language=en-US|url-access=subscription|access-date=2019-12-28}}</ref> A significant figure in the domain of news and documentary film-making in the 1970s, he commanded considerable respect among foreign journalists and film-makers, and were conferred with the [[MBE (Order of the British Empire)|MBE]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

In 1971, Prem established ANI (initially TVNF, India's first television news feature agency) which gained extraordinary influence within the Congress Government.<ref name=":0" /> TVNF played a key role in fulfilling [[Indira Gandhi]]'s wishes of showcasing a positive image of India, having produced numerous films for [[Doordarshan]], and went on to gain a monopoly in the sector.<ref name=":0" />

Smita Prakash, an alumna of [[Indian Institute of Mass Communication]], joined ANI in around 1986 as an intern and was later inducted as a full-time employee.<ref name=":0" /> Daughter of Inna Ramamohan Rao, former director of the [[Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)|Ministry of Information and Broadcasting]], she married Prem's son Sanjiv in 1988 which furthered ANI's access within the government.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> In 1993, Reuters purchased a stake in ANI, and it was allowed to exert a complete monopoly over their India feed.<ref name="":0"" />

=== Later years (2000–present) ===
By 2000, India had seen a boom of private 24x7 news channels; however, unsustainable revenue models meant that they did not have the capacity to hire video-reporters across the country.<ref name=":0" /> This provided scope for massive expansion of ANI's domestic video-production capacities at the behest of Sanjiv, who had a meteoric rise through the ranks (along with Smita) courtesy his shrewd managerial instincts.<ref name=":0" /> Asian Films TV was incorporated in 2000 to provide feed for newspapers and periodicals.<ref name=":1" /> [[The Caravan]] though notes that most of its foot-soldiers were low-cost recruits, who had little to do with journalism.<ref name=":0" />

In 2000, the [[National Democratic Alliance|NDA]] government launched a Kashmir-based regional channel—[[DD Kashir]], and ANI was allowed to produce its programs.<ref name="":0"" /><ref name="":1"" /> By the end of 2005, ANI's business-model was faring impressively on a consistent basis and it shifted its office out of Gole Market, to a new five-storey building in [[Rama Krishna Puram|R.K. Puram]].<ref name="":0"" /> ANI continued to be trusted by the upcoming [[United Progressive Alliance|UPA]] governments, to the extent of MEA choosing Smita to be a part of the two-member-strong contingent of Indian journalists at both of the joint press conferences between the incumbent prime ministers of India and USA.<ref name="":0"" />

In later 2000s, increasing charges of ANI feed and low quality of journalism coupled with the introduction of [[Outside broadcasting|broadcast vans]] led to several national and regional channels unsubscribing them.<ref name="":0"" /> The launch of UNI TV in 2010 by [[Yashwant Deshmukh]] gave stiff competition as well.<ref name="":0"" /> However, Ishan Prakash, Smita's son who joined the company in 2011, procured multiple units of [[LiveU]], expanded ANI's overseas bureaus and enlisted into contracts with multiple state governments and multiple union ministries.<ref name="":0"" /><ref name="":1"" /> A monopoly was again re-created and most of its competitors shut down, eventually.<ref name="":0"" />

By late 2011, ANI accounted for about 99% of the Reuters feed and in FY 2017–18, they were paid ₹ 2.54 crore for the services.<ref name="":1"" /> Archive videos were sold at rates as high as ₹ 1000 per second; in FY 2017–18, the firm reported revenues of ₹ 68.23 crore and a net profit of ₹ 9.91 crore.<ref name="":1"" />

==Controversies==
=== Propaganda ===
Long-form reports by ''[[The Caravan]]'' and [[The Ken]], along with reports by other media watchdogs have detailed of the agency having served as a propaganda tool of the incumbent union government.<ref name="":0"" /><ref name="":1"" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Tiwari|first=Ayush|date=18 September 2019|title=Meet ANI’s ‘European experts’ on Kashmir. They're experts all right — just not on Kashmir|url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2019/09/18/ani-news-european-experts-kashmir|access-date=4 January 2019|website=Newslaundry}}</ref>

''[[The Caravan]]'' notes that for decades under Congress rule, ANI effectively served as the external publicity division of [[Ministry of External Affairs (India)|Ministry of External Affairs]], showing the Army in a positive light and suppressing news about any internal discontent; the private nature of the organisation and the repute of its founder gave an air of non-partisan legitimacy to their videos.<ref name="":0"" /> During the peak-spans of militancy in [[Kashmir conflict|Kashmir Conflict]], ANI was the near-sole purveyor of video-footage, esp. with Rao having been recruited as the media advisor to the state.<ref name="":0"" /> ANI grew even closer to the government after [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] was elected to power in 2014; effects have ranged from sympathetic covering of the political campaigns by BJP to reporters being highly confrontational, when dealing with politicians from opposition parties.<ref name="":0"" /><ref name="":1"" /> Smita has been widely accused of conducting favorable interviews for BJP.<ref name="":0"" /><ref>{{Cite news|last=Dhillon|first=Amrit|date=2019-01-05|title=Indian PM lampooned for 'manufactured' interview|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/05/indian-pm-narendra-modi-lampooned-for-manufactured-interview|access-date=2019-12-29|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

In 2020, an investigation by EU DisinfoLab concluded that ANI had on multiple occasions published mostly [[Anti-Pakistan sentiment|anti-Pakistan]] and sometimes anti-China opinion pieces and news content, including opinion pieces falsely attributed to European politicians and other instances of disinformation, and that this material was known to have been sourced from a vast network of pro-India [[Fake news in India#Fake news against Pakistan|fake news websites]] run by a certain "Srivasta Group".<ref name="BBC4">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-55232432|title=The dead professor and the vast pro-India disinformation campaign|work=BBC|first=Abid|last=Hussain|first2=Shruti|last2=Menon|date=10 December 2020|access-date=10 December 2020|quote=The network was designed primarily to "discredit Pakistan internationally" and influence decision-making at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and European Parliament, EU DisinfoLab said.}}</ref><ref name="Kayali">{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/india-pakistan-website-european-parliament-campaign-eu-chronicle-china/|title=New pro-India EU website enrolling MEPs campaigns against Pakistan|work=Politico|date=9 December 2020|access-date=9 December 2020|first=Saim|last=Saeed|first2=Laura|last2=Kayali}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Rej|first=Abhijnan|title=EU Non-Profit Unearths Massive Indian Disinformation Campaign|url=https://thediplomat.com/2020/12/eu-non-profit-unearths-massive-indian-disinformation-campaign/|access-date=2020-12-11|website=thediplomat.com|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Indian Chronicles: deep dive into a 15-year operation targeting the EU and UN to serve Indian interests|url=https://www.disinfo.eu/publications/indian-chronicles-deep-dive-into-a-15-year-operation-targeting-the-eu-and-un-to-serve-indian-interests/|access-date=2020-12-11|website=EU DisinfoLab|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=ANI, Srivastava Group named in massive EU disinformation campaign to promote Modi government’s interests|url=https://caravanmagazine.in/media/ani-srivastava-group-named-in-eu-disinformation-campaign-to-promote-modi-govts-interests|access-date=2020-12-11|website=The Caravan|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-12-09|title=Une vaste campagne de désinformation et d’influence indienne en Europe dévoilée|language=fr|work=Le Monde.fr|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/les-decodeurs/article/2020/12/09/une-vaste-campagne-de-desinformation-et-d-influence-indienne-en-europe-devoilee_6062761_4355770.html|access-date=2020-12-11}}</ref> The report noted that mainstream Indian news media regularly relies on content provided by ANI, and that ANI had on several occasions provided legitimacy and coverage to the entire "influence operation" run by the fake news network, which relied "more on ANI than on any other distribution channel" [to give it] "both credibility and a wide reach to its content".<ref name="BBC4" /> A primary aim of this fake news coverage was to "discredit Pakistan" in international forums.<ref name="BBC4" /> ANI is also believed to have played significant roles as allies of the [[Research and Analysis Wing]], India's external intelligence agency; many of its videos depicted protests by fringe lobby groups and activists, on the aspects of human rights abuse in Pakistan.<ref name="":0"" />

=== Misinformation ===
ANI has been also accused of [[Fake news in India|misreporting]] events, by [[fact checkers]] certified by the [[Poynter Institute]]'s International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), including [[Alt News]].<ref name="":0"" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Chaudhuri|first=Pooja|date=2018-10-21|title=ANI - A tale of inadvertent errors and oversights|url=https://www.altnews.in/ani-a-tale-of-inadvertent-errors-and-oversights/|access-date=2019-12-28|website=Alt News|language=en-GB}}</ref> ''[[The Caravan]]'' came across several video footages from ANI, wherein logos of random television channels from Pakistan along with Urdu tickers were superimposed on news showcasing India in a positive light; their video editors have admitted to forging clips.<ref name="":0"" />

=== Employee management ===
Under a new management, ANI has been accused of practicing an aggressive model of journalism focused at maximum revenue output, where journalists were easily dispensable with.<ref name="":0"" /><ref name="":1"" /> Multiple employees have accused ANI of not having any human resource management system and ill-treating their ex-employees.<ref name="":0"" />

===False allegations of doping during the 2020 Summer Olympics===
On 26 July 2021, ANI wrongly reported that [[Hou Zhihui]] of China, the new women's [[Weightlifting at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's 49 kg|49 kg weightlifting]] champion, would be tested by the [[International Testing Agency]] (ITA) for doping, according to ANI's unnamed source. Zhihui had won gold in the 49 kg women's weightlifting event against India's [[Mirabai Chanu]], who won silver. The article also stated that Chanu would be upgraded to a gold medal if the tests were positive.<ref name="ANI">{{cite web|url=https://www.aninews.in/news/sports/others/tokyo-olympics-weightlifter-hou-to-be-tested-by-anti-doping-authorities-silver-medallist-chanu-stands-chance-to-get-medal-upgrade20210726131639/ |title=Tokyo Olympics: Weightlifter Hou to be tested by anti-doping authorities, silver medallist Chanu stands chance to get medal upgrade|author=Nitin Srivastava|publisher=ANI News|date=2021-07-26|access-date=3 August 2021}}</ref> This report was subsequently propagated across other news networks, including ''[[The Economic Times]]'', ''[[Business Standard]]'', India.com and ''[[Taiwan News]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4259733|title=Taiwanese weightlifter could take bronze if China's Hou found doping|author=Keoni Everington|publisher=Taiwan News|date=2021-07-28|access-date=4 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.altnews.in/indian-media-falsely-report-mirabai-chanu-stands-chance-of-upgrading-to-gold/|title=Indian media falsely report Mirabai Chanu stands chance of upgrading to gold|author=Pooja Chaudhuri|publisher=Alt News|date=2021-08-02|access-date=4 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boomlive.in/explainers/tokyo-olympics-2020-mirabai-chanu-zhihui-hou-doping-ani-india-today-boria-majumdar-14122|title=Unverified Doping Charge Against Mirabai Chanu's Opponent Goes Viral|author=Dilip Unnikrishnan|publisher=BOOM|date=2021-08-01|access-date=4 August 2021}}</ref> The [[World Anti-Doping Agency]] and ITA debunked the reports, saying they knew nothing of such tests being carried out and that any developments would be transparently reported on their site.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theverified.date/indian-media-fake-news-about-olympic-weightlifting-doping-takes-off-around-asia-insidethegames-biz/?fbclid=IwAR0NG-sMe8FRADU9tM7SKJZYgXW8uXqexnUyPMeeOstBKr8X-wanwTiu7FU|title=Indian media fake news about Olympic weightlifting doping takes off around Asia|publisher=The Verified|date=2021-07-29|access-date=4 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/sport/olympics/2021/jul/30/tokyo-olympics-weightlifting-gold-medallist-zhihui-hou-not-taken-for-doping-test-2337740.html|title=Tokyo Olympics: Weightlifting gold medallist Zhihui Hou not taken for doping test|publisher=The New Indian Express|date=2021-07-30|access-date=4 August 2021}}</ref> On 30 July, ANI reported that no such test occurred, and that they had made an "inadvertent error while reporting the news".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aninews.in/news/sports/others/tokyo-olympics-weightlifting-gold-medallist-zhihui-hou-not-taken-for-doping-test20210730092246/|title=Tokyo Olympics: Weightlifting gold medallist Zhihui Hou not taken for doping test|publisher=ANI News|date=2021-07-30|access-date=4 August 2021}}</ref> As of 10 August, ANI's original report of the disavowed test remains on its website.<ref name="ANI"/>

==See also==
*[[Press Trust of India]], the other leading news agency based in India

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{official}}

{{News agencies}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Multilingual news services]]
[[Category:News agencies based in India]]
[[Category:Indian companies established in 1971]]
[[Category:Companies based in New Delhi]]

Asian News International - Revision history

CleanupBot at 04:16, 29 January 2022