By Anwesha Bose:
Morality has lost its essence but found a higher ground in 2010’s highlight event- WikiLeaks massacre on world’s powerful governments. Questioning the fundamental role and the extent of encroachment permissible to the media, the whistle-blower website, WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange has created waves in media’s realm and political cadres.
He has made heads turn as his site exposed government’s secrets cables which made diplomatic conversation look, so un-diplomatic. With every discrete detail about the corrupt out in the public, the US government reacted harsh and lead a tough operation against him. With the site taken off the World Wide Web, a “smear campaign” was lead against Assange wherein he was charged with sexual misconduct with two women in Stockholm this summer.
Amidst all this political fiasco the public is in full support of him. There has been mass rallying to free him in his home country- Australia apart from the support pouring in from very corner of the world. He is seen as the symbol of “hard-hitting journalism” in today’s context. Such support did not go un-noticed by business minds as he now has signed deals for about $1.5 million for his autobiography with various publishing houses.
Evidently, publishers have understood the keen interest that the public has in Assange’s life. He says that this money will allow him to defend his case of sexual assault made by the two women. Having already spent 200,000 as his legal costs, this money will help him to keep WikiLeaks afloat. Credit card companies Visa and MasterCard and the Internet payment firm PayPal have blocked donations to WikiLeaks, prompting Assange to label them “instruments of US foreign policy.”
The Bank of America, the largest US bank, has also halted all transactions to WikiLeaks.
There is much speculation that WikiLeaks will next target India’s corrupt, having already cited Rahul Gandhi and sorts on their leaks. He has inspired much of public thinking, with many of the “premier” Indian news bureaus airing special debates on him and media growing power. There have been rather cocky interpretations also, just, to create appeal to the masses.
The Australian would be receiving 800,000 dollars (600,000 euros) from Alfred A Knopf, his American publisher, and Canongate deal is worth 325,000 pounds (380,000 euros; 500,000 dollars). With so much money flowing, everyone wants to en-cash on Assange’s popularity; use some of his positive or negative publicity to their benefit.
Because let’s face it; he is sensation and people are willing to buy it!