'CASH FOR EDITORIALS' -- THE LETTER TRAIL -- IV

Here's four more letters exchanged between our non existent firm Acer Consultants and Harry Mann of the Herald.
The first mail of this lot we've reproduced today, was written on September 1, clarifying a small misunderstanding.
Harry Mann in the September 3 letter writes to us in the mail with the subject "A CORRECTION" saying "We allow adertisers to choose topics in their own choice in the editorial page sir, but we give schedule..."
Mann further goes on to say, "... if you want the write ups to be under "herald reporter" we don't have a problem with that, but we need to double check on our side..."
This is pretty incriminating in itself.
Mann categorically says that the newspaper does not have an issue lending the "BY HERALD REPORTER" byline for advertisers. Doesn't this amount to misleading readers? A reader knows how to discern between an ad and a news report, but if an ad is slipped in disguised as a news report, it does amount to cheating the reader of his right to know whether the story is a result of honest reportage or if its been paid for by a mercenary advertiser...
Mann reiterates the same thing in a much more emphatic manner, in the email which we have also uploaded.
We write back to Harry Mann again on September 3, after a brief telephonic conversation with him. We ask him for costing for the placing out editorial. We also ask him how much would it cost it to place our advertising material under the "BY HERALD REPORTER" byline.
Now in the fourth mail, we upload today, comes the masterstroke from Herald. Mann coolly writes, "... we won't allow anyone to make a write ups or choose in your own choice of topic in our editorial clm which is in the left side..."
He agrees to give us a 1000 word piece in the centre of the editorial page though.
And Mann offers us more.
"About the write ups , i can give you free of charge in putting articles to help you in enhance your business here in goa under the tag of "BY HERALD REPORTER". as a part of the package ..i can give you one month two write ups everyweek .. if you want more just let me know."
This was a classic bargaining manoeuvre.
You know what the client wants, so you play slick. You deny him the thing he wants most. You play cheeky and agree to the less important demands with an overt ferocity. That's exactly what Mann does.
Negotiations begin now... Those mails will be uploaded tomorrow.