by Suresh Unnithan

New Delhi: The  National Broadcasting Standard Authority (NBSA) Order No. 54 (2018) reprimanding Republic TV along with its anchor and editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami for violating Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards has to be seen a loud warning to those in the media bending backward to please their masters. In its order against Republic TV and its prime-time anchor Arnab Goswami, on a complaint by A Singh for using “derogatory and derisive” language against the complainant, the Authority has asked the accused to broadcast a full-screen apology. The Authority has also warned the broadcaster against using any defamatory content (in its shows).

The complaint was that in the “Goswami show on 9.1.2018 at 9 PM (repeated many times and video also put up on the website of Republic TV), while reporting about a youth rally (of Jignesh Mevani on Parliament Street on 9th January 2018)  under the caption “Jignesh Flop Show” the complainant’s image was shown with red dots around his head, targeting and calling him as “vulgar thug”, “pervert”, “goon”, “sexist”, “hyena” and “anti-Indian”.

Regarding the complaint NBSA said its order, “In his (Singh’s) submissions, the complainant stated that in the video, he was shown as saying, “Koi aapko tang nahi kar raha, aap jhooth bol rahin hain!”. He stated that anyone hearing him saying “Aap jhooth bol rahi hain”, would realise that he was not behaving as a “vulgar thug”, “pervert”, “goon”, “sexist” and that by no stretch of imagination, he (Singh) could be labeled as “anti-Indian” which were the descriptions used by Mr. Arnab Goswami in the broadcast while referring to him (Singh).”

Arnab Goswami and his republic TV tried to counter the complainant saying “While the reporter (Ms. Shivani Gupta) was reporting the news regarding the rally, about 10 to 12 unidentified men and the complainant surrounded the Reporter and started harassing her by making unwelcome gestures and sexually colored remarks and shouted intimidating slogans against the reporter. The broadcaster also said “the video footage clearly showed that the complainant had actively participated in the gathering/rally and was amongst those who intimidated/attempted to intimidate their female reporter.”

However NBSA observed in its order that the Authority had viewed the CD of the contentious news programme “Jignesh Flop Show” carefully considered and “the footage does not show use of any objectionable words by the complainant or any gesture which can be described as “lewd” or “threatening”.

NBSA further that it was “of the view that the use of words like “I am going to show these crude, lewd hyenas /show the dirty faces of lewd,cheap, vulgar, sexist, pervert anti-India goons” by Mr. Arnab Goswami who was anchoring the programme, while the channel focused on the face of the complainant (by marking his face by a circle of red dots) from among the persons at the rally venue who allegedly threatened/harassed its female news reporter, Ms. Shivani Gupta, was totally unwarranted and unjustified and the same was in violation of the Broadcasting Standards.”

Declaring its decision on the complaint the authority headed by Justice R.V. Raveendran (Retd.) in its written order said “The broadcaster shall, prior to the commencement of the 9 pm news on 7.9.2018, air the following text (static) on its channel (Republic TV), on full screen in large font size with a clearly audible voice-over (in slow speed) expressing regret on its channel Republic TV by stating the following:

“On the debate “Jignesh Flop Show” aired on Republic TV on 9.1.2018 at 9 pm, the channel had inadvertently circled the visual of Mr. A. Singh, while running pictures of its News Editor Ms. Shivani Gupta being confronted by individuals present at the Jignesh Mevani Rally. It was a genuine error, an oversight by our video editor, and not intentional. Therefore, we wish to convey our regrets for the error, which we reiterate was unintentional”

If the broadcaster fails to do so on the date and time stipulated in Direction, the Authority said that the Republic TV “shall air the following text (static) on its channel (Republic TV) prior to the commencement of the 9 PM news on 14.9.2018 on full screen in large font size with a clearly audible voice over (in slow speed) stating the following:

“On the debate ‘Jignesh Flop Show’ aired on Republic TV on 9.1.2018 at 9 PM, this channel had circled the visual of Mr. A. Singh (while running pictures) of its News Editor Ms. Shivani Gupta) as targeting and intimidating her. On a complaint by A. Singh, News Broadcasting Standards Authority has passed an order dated 30.8.2018 holding that Mr. Arnab Goswami, who anchored the programme, was not justified in using the words ‘I am going to show these crude, lewd hyenas/show the dirty faces of lewd, cheap, vulgar, sexist, pervert anti-Indian goons’ with reference to the complainant. News Broadcasting Standards Authority further held that this channel had violated the Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards of NBA and the Specific Guidelines Covering Reportage and should therefore air an apology to Mr. A. Singh. Accordingly, we hereby apologise to Mr. A. Singh for wrongly referring to him as lewd, cheap, vulgar, sexist, pervert, anti-Indian goon.”

In fact the NBSA had earlier through an order warned Republic TV and Goswami for violating Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards by repeatedly showing close-ups of the dead body and body parts of Ms. Sunanda Pushkar. The Authority had then warned the News Channel in writing that “any future violations would be viewed seriously and action would be taken against the broadcaster.”

Remarkably, emphasizing on the Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards NBSA has cautioned the TV news channels on slanderous reporting with ulterior agenda and said that it was “the responsibility of TV news channels to keep accuracy and balance as precedence over speed. If, despite this, there are errors, channels should be transparent about them. Errors must be corrected promptly and clearly whether in the use of pictures, news report, a caption, a graphic or a script. Channels should also strive not to broadcast anything which is obviously defamatory or libelous…”