The News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has found that Zee News, an Indian news channel, violated its ethics code by broadcasting three videos linking farmers protesting against the three laws to Khalistanis and falsely reporting that the Indian flag was removed from the Red Fort on January 26, 2021. The NBDSA’s decision comes after the body concluded that debates on the February 2020 Delhi riots conducted by two Times Now anchors were not conducted in an impartial and objective manner.
The NBDSA order notes that the complaint, filed by activist Indrajeet Ghorpade, was regarding programmes aired in two shows on January 19, 20, and 26. The programmes violated no fewer than eight guidelines, including the dictum that reports should not sensationalize or create panic, distress, or undue fear, among others.
The programmes used unverified videos, including one of a charity event in Germany with tractors decorated with festive lights, which were not connected to the farmers’ protests at all. The channel’s programme on Republic Day, where a section of protesters reached the Red Fort, had headlines like ‘Civil War on Republic Day’, ‘Conspiracy of a War against the Republic’, ‘Shadow of Terror in the Protest’ and ‘Farmers Adamant, Is a Bloody War Decided’?
The NBDSA’s code of ethics requires news channels to acknowledge and correct significant mistakes made in the course of broadcast immediately. However, Zee News denied the allegation that it attempted to hinder the farmers’ protest and stated that the unverified videos had disclaimers on the channel, indicating that it was unable to verify their authenticity. Zee News also said that the removal of the national flag on the Red Fort was an oversight that happened during live news and the YouTube video was removed. It also accused Ghorpade of making “it a communal issue.”
Ghorpade has responded to the allegations by stating that the channel did not make any efforts to apologize for misreporting and continues to peddle the same views on its portals online and on TV. The vilification of the farmers’ protests on mainstream media channels had been the subject of several op-eds and analyses.
On November 19, the same day on which the NBDSA order was out, the Indian government announced the repeal of the three laws that the farmers were protesting against. The move was seen as a victory for the farmers and their supporters, who had been protesting for over a year against what they saw as laws that favored big corporations and threatened their livelihoods.
The NBDSA’s decision to flag Zee News’s violation of ethics codes is significant as it highlights the importance of responsible journalism in a democracy. The NBDSA is an independent body established to oversee the conduct of news channels and ensure that they adhere to ethical and broadcasting standards.
The NBDSA’s code of ethics requires news channels to report objectively, accurately, and fairly. News channels are also required to refrain from broadcasting content that promotes or incites violence, hatred, or obscenity. The NBDSA also mandates that news channels ensure that their reports do not contain any material that may offend the sensibilities of any section of the public or that may promote superstition, blind belief, or communalism.
The NBDSA’s role is particularly significant in India, where the media has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years for its role in promoting fake news, hate speech, and communalism. The NBDSA’s decision to flag Zee News’s violation of ethics codes is a step in the right direction towards promoting responsible journalism and ensuring that the media upholds the values of democracy.
