Fake news are already creating a lot of problems for the government and the issue becomes more serious when a government agency makes a mistake of spreading hoax.
On Thursday, the Press Trust of India, which is the largest news agency in the country, posted an image of 2015 which showed aeroplanes parked in waterlogged hangars at Kamraj Airport, Chennai. However, it captioned the photo,
“Aeroplanes stand in a queue at the waterlogged Sardar Patel International Airport, after heavy monsoon rains in Ahmedabad on Thursday.”
After seeing this photo, social media users expressed concerns over the grave situation of floods in Gujarat which have already taken 123 innocent lives. On the other hand, in reality, the Ahmedabad airport was not facing any waterlogging problem and flights were scheduled as usual.
On Friday, many leading dailies of English and Hindi language also posted this photo in their editions. While Hindustan Times published it on the 8th page in many of its editions, Indian Express gave it more importance by publishing it on the front-page.
The twist came in the story when Smriti Irani, the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, slammed PTI for its mistake and asked an explanation.
She tweeted, “Attention: photographs of Chennai floods have been used and passed off as Ahmedabad @PTI_News Kindly alert all news establishments.”
Attention: photographs of Chennai floods have been used and passed off as Ahmedabad @PTI_News Kindly alert all news establishments.
— Smriti Z Irani (Modi Ka Parivar) (@smritiirani) July 28, 2017
In another tweet, she wrote, “It would be prudent @PTI_News to get an explanation as to how this happened.”
It would be prudent @PTI_News to get an explanation as to how this happened.
— Smriti Z Irani (Modi Ka Parivar) (@smritiirani) July 28, 2017
PTI responded quickly, “PTI is looking into the matter and has taken it seriously.”
PTI is looking into the matter and has taken it seriously.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 28, 2017
Later on, PTI issued an apology and said that the photographer who sent the photo has been relieved of his services. The tweet read, “PTI deeply regrets the error and has terminated the services of the concerned photographer; @smritiirani and @shashidigital”
PTI deeply regrets the error and has terminated the services of the concerned photographer; @smritiirani and @shashidigital
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 28, 2017
A public apology was posted by the CEO of Prasar Bharati, Shashi Shekhar. He tweeted, “We regret that @airnewsalerts Ahmedabad picked up this photo based on erroneous reporting. We will take action.”
We regret that @airnewsalerts Ahmedabad picked up this photo based on erroneous reporting. We will take action. https://t.co/T5AuRpBYi5
— Shashi Shekhar Vempati शशि शेखर (@shashidigital) July 28, 2017
Clarification by @airnews_abad https://t.co/YPWraEHngy
— Shashi Shekhar Vempati शशि शेखर (@shashidigital) July 28, 2017
Indian Express also posted an apology and tweeted, “The PTI photo on #ExpressFrontPage is not of Ahmedabad airport. @PTI_News captioned it wrong & is investigating. We deeply regret the error.”
The PTI photo on #ExpressFrontPage is not of Ahmedabad airport. @PTI_News captioned it wrong & is investigating. We deeply regret the error.
— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) July 28, 2017
Hopefully, PTI won’t be making such a big mistake again as fake news can create many misunderstandings and common public suffers because of it.
What do you have to say about it?