>EPIC at 05:49, 1 June 2021

2021-06-01T05:49:12Z

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{{Infobox Newspaper
|name = Faking News
|image = Faking News logo.png
|type = [[News Satire]]
|format = [[Newspaper]]
|foundation = {{Start date and age|2008|09|15|df=yes}}
|founder = [[Rahul Roushan]]
|slogan = ''Where truth doesn't hide - Where truth doesn't hurt''
|website = [http://www.fakingnews.com/ fakingnews.com]
| ceased publication = 11 July 2020
|owner = [[Network 18|Network 18 Group]]
}}

'''Faking News''', originally started as a form of blog,<ref>[http://www.afaqs.com/news/story/33168_Affle-appoints-Rahul-Roushan-as-head-content-services Affle appoints Rahul Roushan as head, content services] ''afaqs.com''. Retrieved 17 February 2013</ref> was<ref>{{Cite web|title=Twitter|url=https://mobile.twitter.com/fakingnews/status/1281810471897542656|access-date=2020-08-08|website=mobile.twitter.com}}</ref> an [[India]]n [[news satire]] website that published fake news reports containing satire on politics and society of India.<ref name="faking1">[http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/what-a-fake/article4547031.ece What a fake!] ''thehindu.com. Retrieved 25 March 2013</ref><ref>[http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?264510 Piquant Punch] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013131336/http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?264510 |date=2012-10-13 }} ''outlookindia.com''. Retrieved 17 February 2013</ref> It was a critique of mainstream news media in India.<ref>[http://travel.cnn.com/mumbai/news-satire-website-india-487883 Faking News: Making stuff up has never been so fun] ''cnn.com''. Retrieved 19 May 2013</ref> The website also published occasional serious articles related to television [[journalism]] in India. The website was launched on September 15, 2008.<ref>[http://www.fakingnews.com/about/ About Us | Faking News- About us] ''fakingnews.com''. Retrieved 17 February 2013</ref>

It was founded by [[Rahul Roushan]], a [[Delhi]] based management consultant, known by the [[pseudonym]] ''Pagal Patrakar'', a [[Hindi language|Hindi]] term that literally translates to 'crazy/mad journalist' in [[English language|English]].<ref name="faking1"/><ref>[http://blog.blogadda.com/2010/03/18/interview-pagal-patrakar-rahul-roushan-faking-news Exclusive Interview with Pagal Patrakar of Faking News] ''blog.blogadda.com''. Retrieved 17 February 2013</ref>
Faking News was one of the few websites or blogs in India using the tools of [[sarcasm]] and humour to publish news satire, as is widely done in the western countries, a trend pioneered by ''[[The Onion]]'' of the US.

On 31 May 2013, it was announced that Faking News had been acquired by [[Network 18]]-led [[First Post (India)|First Post]].<ref name="takeover">{{cite news |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/india/faking-news-is-now-a-part-of-network-18s-firstpost/395230-3.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130613064053/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/india/faking-news-is-now-a-part-of-network-18s-firstpost/395230-3.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-06-13 |title=Faking News is now a part of Network 18's Firstpost |date=2013-05-31 |accessdate=2013-05-31 |location=India}}</ref>

==News taken seriously==
Two of the fake news reports by Faking News, "Unable to attract even a single girl, frustrated man sues [[Axe (brand)|Axe]]"<ref name="faking1"/><ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2737707.htm ABC Media Watch: Loveless Fake Attracts the Media] ''abc.net.au''. Retrieved 19 May 2013</ref> and "Men talking loud on mobile during movies have smaller penises", were mistaken as being genuine and factual news reports by an Indian website Indiainfo.com on October 21, 2009 and were republished on their website.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://news.indiainfo.com/article/091021113041_man_sues_axe_as_unable_to_get_girl/478394.html |title=Man sues Axe, as unable to get girl - Indiainfo.com (now removed) |access-date=2009-10-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111013032517/http://news.indiainfo.com/article/091021113041_man_sues_axe_as_unable_to_get_girl/478394.html |archive-date=2011-10-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://news.indiainfo.com/article/091021122116_loud_men_have_smaller_penises/478420.html |title=Loud men have smaller penises - Indiainfo.com (now removed) |access-date=2009-10-23 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126042549/http://news.indiainfo.com/article/091021122116_loud_men_have_smaller_penises/478420.html |archive-date=2013-01-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Subsequently, the [[Axe (brand)|Axe]] story was republished by many other websites and blogs in countries other than India, mistaking it to be a true story,<ref>[http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/635812.html Demanda a Axe porque no conquistó chicas - Mexican website]</ref><ref>[http://www.e24.se/lifestyle/klacksparkar/artikel_1656127.e24 Fick inga brudar – stämmer Axe - Swedish website]</ref><ref>[http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/2009/10/31/man-sues-lynx-after-failing-to-pull-in-seven-years-86908-21786843/ Man sues Lynx after failing to pull in seven years - The Daily Record]</ref><ref>[http://www.ananova.com/News/story/sm_3542183.html Man sues over lack of 'Lynx effect' - Ananova (now removed)]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26292811-12377,00.html |title=After seven unlucky years, man sues for Axe 'failure' - The Australian (now removed) |access-date=2009-11-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091104224530/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26292811-12377,00.html |archive-date=2009-11-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/925734/man-sues-lynx-after-failing-to-get-girl |title=Man sues Lynx after \failing to get girl - ninemsn (now removed) |access-date=2009-11-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091103081545/http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/925734/man-sues-lynx-after-failing-to-get-girl |archive-date=2009-11-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref> twice by ''[[The Times of India]]'' on May 27, 2011<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDUvMjcjQXIwNDMwMA==&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom |title=Deo ads face the Axe effect (last paragraph) - The Times of India |access-date=2011-10-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180220152158/http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDUvMjcjQXIwNDMwMA==&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom |archive-date=2018-02-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and on September 25, 2011<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDkvMjUjQXIwMjEwMQ==&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom |title=The bottomline: How far can naughty go? (fourth paragraph) - The Times of India |access-date=2011-10-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190207040523/http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMDkvMjUjQXIwMjEwMQ==&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom |archive-date=2019-02-07 |url-status=dead }}</ref> making it an [[urban legend]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.asylum.com/2009/11/02/did-a-man-sue-because-axe-effect-didnt-work-for-him/ |title='Axe Effect' Lawsuit in India a Hoax - Asylum.com |access-date=2011-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140818185142/http://www.asylum.com/2009/11/02/did-a-man-sue-because-axe-effect-didnt-work-for-him/ |archive-date=2014-08-18 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Another Faking News report titled "Unable to figure out Google Wave, youngster kills himself"<ref name="faking1"/> was mistaken as being true by an Indian website [[Oneindia.in]] on November 10, 2009.<ref>[http://news.oneindia.in/2009/11/10/vadodara-youth-kills-himself-over-google-wave.html Vadodara youth kills himself over Google Wave - OneIndia.com (now removed)]{{Dead link|date=August 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Another instance of a Faking News article being taken seriously took place on December 22, 2013, when a satire article "IRCTC website running slow due to fog: committee report" was published as real news report by news magazine ''[[India Today]]''.<ref>[http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/fog-hits-irctc-website-claims-committee-report/1/332375.html Fog hits IRCTC website, claims committee report - India Today]</ref> In another instance on May 28, 2014, legal team of [[BJP]] leader [[Nitin Gadkari]] quoted a Faking News article in their defence, mistaking it as a true news report, while arguing a defamation case.<ref>[http://www.firstpost.com/india/when-gadkaris-legal-team-thought-a-faking-news-story-was-real-1546583.html When Gadkari’s legal team thought a Faking News story was real]</ref>

==Achievements==

* Faking News' Rahul Roushan created a full page 'Parody Times' in India's leading newspaper ''[[Hindustan Times]]'' on September 2, 2012 as a spoof of a front page of the same newspaper.<ref>[http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Spoof-alert/Article1-923235.aspx Spoof Alert Hindustan Times]</ref>

== Closing down ==
Faking news was closed down in July 2020. There are many reasons attributed towards the closing of this website but the company has not come out with any official statement. The most common reason is believed to be low revenue.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-28|title=What Happened To FakingNews Website? Why FakingNews Has Stopped Working? Is FakingNews Dead? > AllTimeTrends|url=https://alltimetrends.com/current-trending/what-happened-to-fakingnews-website-why-fakingnews-has-stopped-working-is-fakingnews-dead/|access-date=2020-12-21|website=AllTimeTrends|language=en-US}}</ref> It had over 370k visitors on its website and the revenue from google AdSense was very low. Another reason being attributed is the lack of creative content.

==See also==
* [[List of satirical magazines]]
* [[List of satirical news websites]]
* [[List of satirical television news programs]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.fakingnews.com}}

[[Category:News blogs]]
[[Category:Satirical websites]]
[[Category:News parodies]]
[[Category:Criticism of journalism]]
[[Category:Indian comedy websites]]
[[Category:Indian journalism]]
[[Category:Indian satire]]

Faking News - Revision history

>EPIC at 05:49, 1 June 2021