“Hatred And Communal Disharmony": India's Broadcasting Self-Regulation Body Asks Three Mainstream Channels To Take Down Videos

New Delhi: The News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has taken a firm stance against the spread of hatred and communal disharmony on television news programmes. Under the leadership of retired Supreme Court judge, Justice A.K. Sikri, the NBDSA has ordered three mainstream channels to take down specific videos and pay fines for their role in promoting divisive narratives.

Times Now Navbharat, part of the renowned Times group, has been fined Rs 1 lakh for its programme targeting Muslims and terming inter-faith relationships as “love jihad”. Similarly, News 18 India, now under Mukesh Ambani’s group, has been penalized Rs 50,000 for multiple shows communalizing incidents like the Shraddha Walker murder case as “love jihad”. Aaj Tak, part of the India Today group, received a warning for its show generalizing acts of violence during Ram Navami.

The NBDSA”s actions come in response to complaints lodged by activist Indrajeet Ghorpade, citing violations of broadcasting standards to impartiality, objectivity, neutrality, and accuracy. The authority emphasized the need to avoid communal narratives and hate speech in media reporting.

Targeted Content:

• Times Now Navbharat: The channel”s program, hosted by Himanshu Dixit, was found to have targeted the Muslim community and termed inter-faith relationships as “love jihad.” The NBDSA condemned the program for its generalizations and violation of broadcasting standards.
• News 18 India: Three shows, anchored by Aman Chopra and Amish Devgan, faced penalties for communalizing the Shraddha Walker murder case and portraying it as a “love jihad” incident. The NBDSA highlighted the dangers of such narratives in reporting sensitive cases.
• Aaj Tak: The channel received a warning for a program hosted by Sudhir Chaudhary, which generalized acts of violence during Ram Navami as targeting a specific community. The NBDSA emphasized the importance of unbiased reporting and avoiding communal narratives.

Focus on Code of Ethics:

The NBDSA”s decision is based on violations of the Code of Ethics & Broadcasting Standards, specifically regarding impartiality, objectivity, neutrality, and accuracy. The authority also cited breaches of guidelines to hate speech prevention and avoiding communal narratives in reporting incidents.

Industry Response:

The NBDSA order has sparked debate within the Indian media landscape. While some hail it as a necessary step to curb hate speech and promote responsible journalism, others raise concerns about potential infringement on freedom of expression.

Background:

This action follows a growing trend of the NBDSA taking action against media outlets for broadcasting content deemed offensive or harmful. In March 2023, the authority ordered three other channels, including repeat offenders News18 India and Times Now, to remove programs found to be in violation of broadcasting standards.

The NBDSA functions as an industry-wide self-regulatory body, distinct from government intervention. This latest order emphasizes the ongoing efforts to address issues of hate speech and communal disharmony within the Indian media ecosystem.