The Hindu : Front Page : Emergency protocol for news channels

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Friday, Dec 19, 2008
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Emergency protocol for news channels

Anita Joshua

NEW DELHI: The News Broadcasters’ Association (NBA) on Thursday announced the adoption of an emergency protocol for coverage of conflict situations.

Chairman of the News Broadcasting Standards Disputes Redressal Authority J. S. Verma said telecast of news relating to armed conflict, internal disturbance, communal violence, public disorder and such other situations would be tested on the touchstone of ‘public interest.’ As to the definition of ‘public interest,’ no response was forthcoming from the NBA. These were broad guidelines and not meant to be “exhaustive.”

Member channels of the NBA would not do any live reporting that would facilitate publicity of a terrorist or militant outfit or its ideology. Neither would they provide live footage that would evoke sympathy for the perpetrators or glamourise them or their cause.

While reporting live hostage situations or rescue operations, the channels would not identify the hostages or reveal their number and status. Similarly, details of the security operations would not be given out. The guidelines also state that the media should avoid live contact with the victims or security/technical personnel involved or perpetrators during the course of the incident.

The media should avoid unnecessary repeated or continuous broadcast of archival footage that may tend to agitate the viewers. And, when archival footage is shown, it should be clearly identified as “file” and if possible be accompanied by the date and time. Also, news networks should treat the dead with dignity and their visuals should not be shown.

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