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'NDTV India' to be taken off air for a day for its Pathankot coverage


Malcolm Merlyn

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An inter-ministerial committee of the information and broadcasting ministry has recommended that a leading Hindi news channel be taken off air for a day after it concluded that the broadcaster had revealed “strategically-sensitive” details while covering the Pathankot terrorist attack.

The ministry may now ask the channel NDTV India to be taken off air for a day on November 9, according to sources, in what would be the first order against a broadcaster over its coverage of terrorist attacks.

Efforts to reach the channel for its comments could not fructify.

The matter pertains to the coverage of the Pathankot terror attack by the channel where the committee felt that “such crucial information” could have been readily picked by terrorist handlers and had the potential to “cause massive harm not only to the national security, but also to lives of civilians and defence personnel.”

When the operation was on in January this year, it allegedly revealed information on the ammunition stockpiled in the airbase, MIGs, fighter-planes, rocket-launchers, mortars, helicopters, fuel-tanks etc. “which was likely to be used by the terrorists or their handlers to cause massive harm, the sources said.

Official sources said that as the content appeared to be violative of the programming norms, a show cause notice was issued to the channel.

In its reply, the channel replied that it was a case of “subjective interpretation” and the most of the information they had put out was already in public domain in print, electronic and social media.

The committee, in its order, however observed that the channel “appeared to give out the exact location of the remaining terrorists with regard to the sensitive assets in their vicinity” when they telecast in real time.

 

The panel expressed “grave concern” that this was a matter of national security and that the channel had revealed sensitive details like location of ammunition depot viz-a-viz the space where the terrorists were holed up, location of school and residential areas.

“Such crucial information could have been readily picked by their handlers, which had the potential to cause massive harm not only to the national security, but also to lives of civilians and defence personnel,” the committee said disagreeing with the channel’s contention that similar content was carried by newspapers.

The television as an audio visual medium has a far wider and instantaneous impact, the order said.

“The IMC recommends that at least a token penalty of one day’s off-air needed to be awarded to the TV channel so that they do not get away completely for this huge indiscretion and violation of specific rule or guideline relating to national security concerns,” the I&B ministry order in this regard says.

The committee has observed that the violation stood proven beyond doubt, the order said and added that it could even attract a penalty of taking the channel off-air for 30 days.

However, it was factored that a rule in this regard had been introduced in June 2015 and this was the first such case where it was being applied to and not make the penalty harsh, it is learnt.

“The ministry has issued advisories and sensitised channels regarding coverage of anti-terror operations. There have been oral warnings also. It is hoped that strategically sensitive details will not be revealed when such an operation is underway,” a senior official said.

http://www.rediff.com/news/report/hindi-news-channel-to-be-taken-off-air-for-a-day-for-its-pathankot-coverage/20161103.htm

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If  journalistic standards were not kept and confidential information related to national security was compromised then any punitive action taken by the govt. can not be held as impinging on freedom of press. Freedom is only till the security breach, after that the said Journalistic house does not have that freedom, just like any common felon after a crime. But devil is in the detail, how did they prove that there was a security breach and sharing of confidential information. it says the ministry has asked, but is there a body that is regulating this with set of rules etc.

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Oh the irony. Remember when Ravinash kumar put on a black screen during that rant on JNU and Arnab.

 

Remember Chaitanya Kunte? When NDTV hounded him for his blog on NDTV coverage during 2008 attack, he cited that during Kargil war, Bhakra has apparently caused causalities on Indian side due to her irresponsible coverage. This needs to be dug out.

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When the operation was on in January this year, it allegedly revealed information on the ammunition stockpiled in the airbase, MIGs, fighter-planes, rocket-launchers, mortars, helicopters, fuel-tanks etc. “which was likely to be used by the terrorists or their handlers to cause massive harm, the sources said.

Above was from the report. So Terrorist were being relayed what was closest or how can they reach these locations.

 

Post Kargil, one would have thought Barakha and NDTV have learned. Post Mumbai attack, media was told what NOT to divulge detaills in middle of attacks.

 

Its time Government starts doing harsher punishment to these profit hungary, news manufacturing media

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In fact, I am willing to believe that Hemant Karkare died because these channels showed him prepare (wear helmet, wear bullet-proof vest.) in excruciating detail live on television. And they in turn targeted him where he was unprotected.

Source

http://img.labnol.org/files/6853/chetan-kunte.pdf

Above was from the blogger Chyetanya Kunte  who pointed it to MS Dutt,

 

This was reply from NDTV under Congress and Indian Injustice system after being threatened by NDTV,

 

1. I, Chyetanya Kunte, hereby tender an unconditional apology to Ms. Barkha Dutt, Managing Editor, English News, NDTV Limited and to NDTV Limited, for the defamatory statements I made regarding Ms. Barkha Dutt and NDTV Limited, in my post titled "Shoddy Journalism," dated November 27th 2008, on my weblog at www.ckunte.com.

Edited by mishra
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On 11/3/2016 at 5:18 AM, velu said:

good ...

i am sure left wing and congress will whine for a week abt press freedom and will come up with a new tagline like Intolerance , Gau raksas etc

I hope they bring back intolerance campaign :agree:

Want to see some more 'Hai Tauba' from the usual propa-gandus. 

 

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16 minutes ago, Haarkarjeetgaye said:

shame.

it was the bjp govt that allowed her to do so

 

I am not defending Vajpayee but only a fool will comment that Kargil reporting made her what she is now. It was first mistake by media and looked honest one too. And hence benefit of doubt given to media persons. But since then, It has been repeatedly violated and hence honest aspect of Kargil reporting mistake is diluted. Also UPA government was afraid of reprecursion if they took action as life of common man dieing didnt matter to them, as support of media was more important to them.

 

Current NDA government isnt MMS/Sonia government and took action despite reprecursions. Banned live reporting March 2015. Now banned NDTV Hindi for breach of rule with next breach will make it 30 day ban.

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7 minutes ago, mishra said:

 

I am not defending Vajpayee but only a fool will comment that Kargil reporting made her what she is now. It was first mistake by media and looked honest one too. And hence benefit of doubt given to media persons. But since then, It has been repeatedly violated and hence honest aspect of Kargil reporting mistake is diluted. Also UPA government was afraid of reprecursion if they took action as life of common man dieing didnt matter to them, as support of media was more important to them.

 

Current NDA government isnt MMS/Sonia government and took action despite reprecursions. Banned live reporting March 2015. Now banned NDTV Hindi for breach of rule with next breach will make it 30 day ban.

The current govt itself is a faliure in handling attacks on Army bases. The leak has been happening from the government even before media comes in. You remember how Rajnath Singh claimed victory when the mission was not even half over in pathankot. The ban is unfortunate and more to hide the incompetencies of the Modi govt. It is a shame.

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1 minute ago, Haarkarjeetgaye said:

The current govt itself is a faliure in handling attacks on Army bases. The leak has been happening from the government even before media comes in. You remember how Rajnath Singh claimed victory when the mission was not even half over in pathankot. The ban is unfortunate and more to hide the incompetencies of the Modi govt. It is a shame.

What kind of logic is this? Current government fixed serious problem with regards to media knowingly disclosing details of active operation in 2015. It then took action against a breach so its a weak government.

Let me know which leader has managed to take such decision (including Indian ones) since TV has entered in most of the living rooms of that nations?

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Cant banish Jaitley from Modi govt as most ministers are outsiders to machinations of Delhi/Lutyens club... 

 

NDTV got a lot of free publicity and now a lot more people of this country are aware of the activities of this channel...

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