The Times of India made news last year when it was revealed that there was more than journalistic spunk behind its aggressive Commonwealth Games (CWG) coverage.

Now, the Delhi tabloid Mail Today reveals the opposite: that the soft treatment of the CWG scam by many of ToI’s competitors may have had something to do with CWG contracts in their pockets.

ToI‘s main competitor in Delhi, Hindustan Times, and its partner Hungama had been contracted to create a website to put out realtime information on events at the games.

The comptroller and auditor-general (CAG) has now found that the HT-Hungama combine was awarded the contract although its documentation was deficient.

It also found the website set up by them deficient; it lacked speed and was not up to date with information.

Likewise, the CAG has found fault with the manner in which the contract for the production and broadcasting of commercials was given to CNN-IBN and NDTV.

The monies are minute: Rs 6.73 crore in all, but the CAG report swings the spotlight on cross-media ownership amounting to conflict of interest.

Image: courtesy Mail Today

Also read: The Times of India and the Commonwealth Games

107 headlines from ToI on the Commonwealth Games