I&B Ministry approves rule banning live TV coverage of anti-terror operation

[The Huskar]

NEW DELHI: TV channels will be barred from airing live coverage of anti-terrorist operations by security forces as per a new rule approved by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

Broadcasters in such situations will have to restrict themselves to reporting periodic briefing by designated officers, as per the new rule.

Officials said a new clause will be added in the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 as per which TV channels will not carry content "which contains live coverage of any anti-terrorist operation by security forces, wherein media coverage shall be restricted to periodic briefing by an officer designated by the appropriate Government, till such operation concludes."

The officials said the new rule has been approved and likely to be notified by the government soon.

When contacted I&B Secretary Bimal Julka confirmed that "an amendment in the rules has been incorporated in the Cable TV Networks Rules, as per the advice of the MHA."

The Ministry of Home Affairs had earlier asked the I&B Ministry to ensure that security operations are not covered live by the media.

The officials said the I&B Ministry had earlier written to the MHA asking what should be the definition of the term "anti-terrorist operation" in order to make changes in the rules.

It has been decided that "anti-terrorist operation" means "such operation undertaken to bring terrorists to justice, which includes all engagements involving justifiable use of force between security forces and terrorists," they said.

The Home Ministry has been persistently of the view that live coverage of anti-terror operations should be banned.

In January this year, while delivering the first Justice J S Verma Memorial Lecture, I&B Minister Arun Jaitley had said there had been reports that real time coverage of 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai had helped the handlers of terrorists to get information about what the security agencies were doing.

"Our security agencies and the Ministry of Defence are clearly of the view that this cannot be allowed," Jaitley had said.

 

[The Huskar]

Much needed steps of I&B Ministry.Should have taken immediately after Mumbai Attacks fiasco.

 

[DIRECT ACTION]

NEW DELHI: TV channels will be barred from airing live coverage of anti-terrorist operations by security forces as per a new rule approved by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

Broadcasters in such situations will have to restrict themselves to reporting periodic briefing by designated officers, as per the new rule.

Officials said a new clause will be added in the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 as per which TV channels will not carry content "which contains live coverage of any anti-terrorist operation by security forces, wherein media coverage shall be restricted to periodic briefing by an officer designated by the appropriate Government, till such operation concludes."

The officials said the new rule has been approved and likely to be notified by the government soon.

When contacted I&B Secretary Bimal Julka confirmed that "an amendment in the rules has been incorporated in the Cable TV Networks Rules, as per the advice of the MHA."

The Ministry of Home Affairs had earlier asked the I&B Ministry to ensure that security operations are not covered live by the media.

The officials said the I&B Ministry had earlier written to the MHA asking what should be the definition of the term "anti-terrorist operation" in order to make changes in the rules.

It has been decided that "anti-terrorist operation" means "such operation undertaken to bring terrorists to justice, which includes all engagements involving justifiable use of force between security forces and terrorists," they said.

The Home Ministry has been persistently of the view that live coverage of anti-terror operations should be banned.

In January this year, while delivering the first Justice J S Verma Memorial Lecture, I&B Minister Arun Jaitley had said there had been reports that real time coverage of 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai had helped the handlers of terrorists to get information about what the security agencies were doing.

"Our security agencies and the Ministry of Defence are clearly of the view that this cannot be allowed," Jaitley had said.

already posted...
I&B ministry issues advisory to TV channels on anti-terror ops

 

[Koovie]

This should have been done ages ago!

 

[The_Sidewinder]

Although a bit late, but good to see I&B ministry finally waking up. Our TRP seeking media always plays with the lives of our soldiers.
Indeed a move.

 

[IndoUS]

Long overdue.

 

[Nicky G]

Finally, should be a standard practice all over the world. I couldn't believe even the Aussies and French allow their channels to air these things, perhaps they are too unused to such incidents.

 

[CONNAN]

i think our media didn't learn anything

old news but good and valid points

Live TV coverage put national security in jeopardy, says Bench

Slamming the electronic media for its live coverage of the 26/11 terrorist attacks, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said that by doing so the Indian TV channels did not serve the national interest or any social cause.

A Bench of Justices Aftab Alam and C.K. Prasad, while confirming the death sentence on the prime accused, Ajmal Kasab, said the “reckless coverage… gave rise to a situation where, on the one hand, the terrorists were completely hidden from the security forces and they had no means to know their exact positions or even the kind of firearms and explosives they possessed and, on the other, the positions of the security forces, their weapons and all their operational movements were being watched by the collaborators across the border on TV screens and being communicated to the terrorists.”

The Bench said: “Apart from the transcripts, we can take judicial notice of the fact that the terrorists’ attacks at all the places, in the goriest details, were shown live on Indian TV from beginning to end, almost non-stop. All the channels were competing with each other in showing the latest developments on a minute-to-minute basis, including the positions and the movements of the security forces engaged in flushing out the terrorists.

“In these appeals, it is not possible to find out whether the security forces actually suffered any casualty or injuries on account of the way their operations were being displayed on the TV screen. But it is beyond doubt that the way their operations were freely shown made the task of the security forces not only exceedingly difficult but also dangerous and risky.”

Holding that any attempt to justify the conduct of the TV channels by citing the right to freedom of speech and expression would be “totally wrong and unacceptable in such a situation,” the Bench said: “Freedom of expression, like all other freedoms under Article 19, is subject to reasonable restrictions. An action tending to violate another person’s right to life guaranteed under Article 21 or putting the national security in jeopardy can never be justified by taking the plea of freedom of speech and expression.”

Credibility test

“Expressing its anguish, the Bench said: “The shots and visuals could have been shown after all the terrorists were neutralised and the security operations were over. But, in that case, the TV programmes would not have had the same shrill, scintillating and chilling effect and would not have shot up the TRP ratings of the channels. It must, therefore, be held that by covering live the terrorists’ attack on Mumbai in the way it was done, the Indian TV channels were not serving any national interest or social cause. On the contrary, they were acting in their own commercial interests, putting the national security in jeopardy. It is in such extreme cases that the credibility of an institution is tested. The coverage of the Mumbai terror attack by the mainstream electronic media has done much harm to the argument that any regulatory mechanism for the media must come only from within.”

Live TV coverage put national security in jeopardy, says Bench - The Hindu

 

[topgun047]

Why wasn't such an act passed after 26/11 ?
Incompetent pseudo sickular congress sycophants almost ran this country into ground