The News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has instructed television news channels News18 India, Times Now Navbharat, and Aaj Tak to remove videos of several shows broadcast in the past two years. This directive comes as a response to the dissemination of hatred and communal disharmony, which violated the code of ethics, broadcasting standards, and specific guidelines concerning reportage on racial and religious harmony. Additionally, fines have been imposed on the broadcasters in certain instances.
During its meeting on February 28, the NBDSA, chaired by Justice (retired) A. K. Sikri, deliberated on complaints regarding programs aired over the past two years and took action accordingly. News18 India was fined Rs 50,000 for four shows hosted by Aman Chopra and Amish Devgan in 2022, where they linked the murder of Shraddha Walker by her live-in partner Aftab Poonawala to “love jihad.” The NBDSA cautioned against the loose usage of the term ‘love jihad’, emphasizing its potential to fuel religious stereotyping and undermine the secular fabric of the country.
Times Now Navbharat: “love jihad”
Times Now Navbharat was fined Rs 1 lakh for a show on “love jihad” aired on May 31, 2023, hosted by Himanshu Dixit. The NBDSA criticized the anchor for prematurely concluding that men from a specific community were deceiving women from another community and committing violence against them in the context of “love jihad.”.
In response to the NBDSA order, the Times Network expressed acceptance and pledged increased vigilance in future story selection. Aaj Tak was directed to remove the video of a show anchored by Sudhir Chaudhary on violence during the festival of Ram Navami in 2023, as it targeted the entire Muslim community due to the actions of certain individuals. The NBDSA emphasized that the broadcast could have avoided controversy by limiting its analysis to incidents of communal violence.
Aaj Tak, “Black & White”
Regarding a complaint about Aaj Tak’s show “Black & White,” hosted by Sudhir Chaudhary last year, which on violence during the festival of Ram Navami in 2023, saying that he targeted the entire Muslim community due to the acts of certain miscreants.
The NBDSA noted that had the broadcaster limited its analysis to the incidents of communal violence, there would have been no issue with the broadcast. However, by airing tickers such as “today Muslim areas, tomorrow Muslim country,” the program took on a completely different tone and implication.
The NBDSA investigated a complaint regarding a segment aired on Aaj Tak last year (Black & White hosted by Sudhir Chaudhary) concerning former US President Barack Obama’s remarks on the protection of minorities in India during PM Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US. The investigation found that the broadcast not only breached the principles of Objectivity and Neutrality but also violated the Specific Guidelines for Anchors, which mandate presenting all programs in an impartial, objective, and neutral manner.
Instead of focusing solely on Obama’s statement, the broadcaster used terms such as “Tukde Tukde Gang,” “Khalistani in Punjab,” and “Pakistani supporters,” straying from the objective discussion. This failure to address the controversial issue with sensitivity and objectivity was noted in the order.
The channel was fined Rs 75,000 and advised to ensure a fair presentation of controversial subjects with adherence to neutrality, impartiality, and objectivity.
India Today: ‘Nudity sparks outrage at USA pride parades: How India’s LGBTQ+ lead responsibly’
A complaint about India Today’s program titled ‘Nudity sparks outrage at USA pride parades: How India’s LGBTQ+ Lead Responsibly’ was addressed by NBDSA, which criticized the use of visuals out of context as a violation of accuracy principles. In addition to adhering to the Code of Ethics & Broadcasting Standards and Guidelines, members were provided with specific guidelines for broadcasting on LGBTQIA+ issues to ensure strict compliance.
In all cases, the respective channels have committed to respecting the decisions of the regulatory body and implementing necessary measures for compliance.
