The ultra-leftist portal, The Wire, has been controversy’s favourite child. It has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. While the leftist portal has been infamous for the scandalous reports, fake news like The Tek fog story, election fraud ignominy, however the recent controversy involving The Wire was least expected from an established player and self-proclaimed free and fair news website, and it has left many shocked and perplexed with the new low it has seemingly set with its ‘content’ beside the news reportage.
This time, the issue revolves around a social media storm that the Twitter handle @YearOfTheKraken ignited. The handle posted pictures of an Assistant Project Manager at The Wire promoting profanity and inappropriate content through her personal social media accounts. The obscene images of the Wire’s Assistant Project Manager have drawn widespread criticism from netizens. Social media users are slamming the portal for endorsing what many describe as obscene and vulgar material.
While the association of the purported Assistant Project manager sharing contentious posts, furthering obscenity, is yet to be ascertained with the ultra-leftist portal, The Wire, the X handle Sensei doubled down on his assertion. The popular X handle wrote, “Yes, it is the same woman, in case anyone has doubts”, while attaching her social media bio in which the details note that she has been an alumnus of the Jawaharlal Nehru University and is the Assistant Project Manager at The Wire(dot)in. On searching up for basic factchecking, the information reflected on the social media handles, Instagram and Facebook, of ‘Sheikh Shehzaadi’ matches with the information incorporated by the X handle, Sensei Kraken Zero.
Social media users have reacted with outrage, with some claiming that The Wire has fallen to the level of peddling content that is only found on platforms like OnlyFans. Many argue that such actions are unacceptable in a professional setup, damage the credibility of the media platforms, and are against societal and cultural values.
One user wrote on X, the girl herself wrote on her Facebook bio “The girl with the peach”, now people can understand from where The Wire is bringing funds for its free and fair journalism.
लड़की ने अपने फेसबुक बायो में खुद से लिख रहा है – “the girl with the peach” 🍑
अब समझ में आ रहा है द वायर अपने फ्री एंड फेअर जर्नलिज्म के लिए फंड कैसे जमा करता है। 🌚😭
— आशुतोष (@bakaitbaaz) December 30, 2024
Netizens were quick to label it Onlyfans kind of content, linking it with radical demands of leftists to attain freedom from ‘clothes’ etc. Here is how netizens have reacted to the Sensei’s assertion.
The backlash raises relevant questions about the accountability of media platforms and their staff. Should professionals associated with media organizations be allowed to indulge in such behaviour on public platforms? However, people argue that from The Wire, as a left-oriented player in media, one should not expect a higher standard of ethics and professionalism.
While The Wire has not been an exception to criticism, this recent controversy might give the remaining reputation a hit. It reminds the organizations that their employees’ actions and the message that goes to the public must be taken care of.
The Wire claims itself as a platform which speaks the truth, but Netizens know its original nature; the current controversy highlights an apparent hypocrisy that readers have pointed out long before. The Wire feels the heat for addressing the issue and apologizing to the people.
The million-dollar question: will The Wire take responsibility or continue down its infamous controversial road? Only time will tell.
