NBDSA issues orders against 5 Communal shows of News18 India anchored by Aman Chopra
The News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA), issues a series of orders against three news channels for airing ‘Communal Shows’. The order claimed that News18 India, Zee News and Times Now have violated the Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards. The 5 TV shows by the anchor Aman Chopra of News18 India have been fined Rs. 75000, while Zee News and Times Now have been directed to remove their videos from online platforms.
Orders against the News Channels:
Times Now:
NBDSA reprimands the channel for wrongly reporting that pro-Pakistan slogans were raised during PFI’s protest in Pune and directs the channel to remove the links.
NBDSA said if the broadcaster was unsure of the slogans shown in the video, it should have run a disclaimer in respect of the authenticity of the video. “The impugned broadcast appears to have been telecast on account of negligence and in haste,” stated NBDSA.
Zee News:
NBDSA finds a debate broadcasted by Zee News on population issues to have violated standards for targeting one community by selectively sharing statistics.
After going through the programme titled “Jansankhya Badhotari ke liye ek dharma ko zimmedar thehrana jayaz hai?” NBDSA stated that the broadcaster had given the issue of population explosion a communal angle.
The order directs the channel to publicize that the program was found to be against the Code of Ethics & Broadcasting Standards.
News18 India:
NBDSA issues orders against 5 TV shows broadcasted by the channel and anchored by Aman Chopra. It fined the channel for Rs. 75000 for giving a communal narrative by giving generalised statements against Muslim community. The order directs the channel to expunge all the shows immediately.
Here is the list of those 5 ‘Communal Shows’:
- A show aired on January 18 2022 in the context of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s controversial “80, 20” comment was anchored by Aman Chopra. Here 80, and 20 refer to Hindus and Muslims.
The order stated that during the programme, the anchor crossed the threshold of impartiality by making statements like “Ye 80 k khilaf hai mahagathbandhan”.
NBDSA has imposed a fine of Rs. 50,000 for this show and remarked, “By starting the debate on the premise that 20% people were ganging up against Hindus constituting 80%, the anchor had given the debate a thrust, which is communal in nature and not appropriate. While conducting a debate an anchor needs to be objective, impartial and neutral.” - The show aired on October 4, 2022, has shown the men accused of seeking to stop a garba function beaten by the police. The anchor Chopra exhorted viewers to count along the broadcasted footage of the police caning a group of Muslim men tethered to a pole. He described their caning as “dandiya”.
NBDSA imposed Rs.25, 000 for this programme and said, “Broadcaster had failed to condemn police violence and in fact kept looping the video of the police beating the men. The thrust of the broadcast appeared to give the impression that the actions of the police were justified.”
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- The show, which aired in July 2022 was about the murder of Praveen Nettaru in Dakshina Kannada.”
The NBDSA observed that anchor Chopra, “Instead of blaming a few miscreants for the murders and violence, in fact, blamed the religion for the violence that occurred”. Chopra’s “agenda in this behalf was clear” and by interrupting a panellist and not allowing them to speak, the anchor “did not allow the debate to go on objectively”.
2. The show aired on August 5, 2022, was about the “sharp rise” in the Muslim population in border areas of Uttar Pradesh and Bangladesh due to infiltration.
The NBDSA slammed the channel and the anchor for demonising Muslims to “portray them as intruders” and “attempting to communalise the issue” without seeking “accountability” from the government.
3. The show aired on September 29, 2022, was about Muslim “miscreants” attending Garba events with “ulterior motives”. The show was based on “viral videos from Ahmedabad, Indore and Akola”.
The NBDSA has found that the language used in the tickers by the channel “gave a communal tilt to the broadcast” and “created an impression” that men from one community were trying to deceive women from another community.
The media regulating body has found that News 18 India has violated the fundamental principles of Impartiality, Objectivity and Neutrality in reporting and the Specific Guidelines Covering Reportage No. 9 relating to Racial & Religious Harmony.
The channel has been directed to take down the aired videos from the public domain and also cautioned against giving communal overtones to the reportage and tickers.
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