India's News Broadcasters Association : No live coverage of terror attacks

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Not sure Good or BAD.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/No_live_coverage_of_terror_attacks/articleshow/3858219.cms

NEW DELHI: No live reporting of hostage crises, avoiding live contact with victims, withholding sensitive information on rescue operations -
these were some of the guidelines unveiled by India's News Broadcasters Association on Thursday in the wake of the Mumbai terror attack.
The self-regulation guidelines for telecast of sensitive events come after media coverage of the 60-hour terror strike in Mumbai saw scathing criticism from the public and the government, which even threatened to impose an emergency protocol.

Although the broadcasters' body had started formulating such guidelines much before the 26/11 attack, leading broadcasters were forced to quicken the process after the event.

The guidelines include a self-imposed restraint by broadcasters not to disclose details of hostages and withholding sensitive information on rescue operations.

The broadcasters have also been asked to avoid live contact with victims and with security personnel engaged in security operations.

The guidelines also urge broadcasters to exercise their judgment by not airing details of identity and number of hostages and refrain from reporting or commentary that gives the impression of sympathizing with terrorists.

Unveiling the guidelines at a news conference, former Chief Justice J S Verma asked the powerful to exercise restraint.

"The judiciary and the media have become powerful organs. Once you become powerful, you must know your limits," Verma, who heads the News Broadcasting Standards Disputes Redressal Authority, said.

"Self-regulation is a requirement which everyone who has considerable power must exercise. Nobody likes to be told what to do," Verma told reporters while explaining the rationale for self-regulation guidelines.

The guidelines were finalised Wednesday and are aimed at ensuring that the reporting of sensitive situations like the Mumbai attacks does not jeopardise the security of the nation and is not offensive to public taste.

The guidelines, also referred to as "emergency protocol" in media circles, are similar to the advisories issued to TV channels by the information and broadcasting ministry during and after the Mumbai terror attacks.

 

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It is interesting to see this Indian Minority Affairs Minister A.R. Antulay was criticised for investigating the murder of his own anti-terror chief.

No regrets for raising query on Karkare's death: Antulay

Unfazed by criticism, Minority Affairs Minister A.R. Antulay Saturday said he had done his Congress party and the country proud by raising questions on the death of Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare, who was killed during the 26/11 attacks.

'I stand by my statement and have no regrets. On the contrary, I have done my country and party proud by raising the issue of Karkare's death. I have united the country through this,' Antulay told the CNN-IBN news channel in an interview.

'The people who twisted my statement should be embarrassed. I have not embarrassed my party and nation. And also I have never said (anything) about Malegaon or uttered 'Malegaon',' Antulay added.

'All I said (was) how Karkare, who was the best solider, went to the Cama hospital when there was nothing (there). The investigating agencies have to answer what made a brilliant officer to go in (the) opposite direction.'

Asked about his reported resignation from the cabinet, he maintained: 'I can neither confirm or deny (the reports). I will act as per the directions of the prime minister and the party.'

Antulay said he had not played the votebank politics.

Participating in a debate in the Lok Sabha Wednesday on the Mumbai terrorist attack, Antulay had hinted that Karkare's death could be linked to the Sep 29 Malegaon bombing he was investigating and in which members of Hindu radical groups are the main suspects.

'Superficially speaking, they (terrorists) had no reason to kill Karkare. Whether he (Karkare) was a victim of terrorism or terrorism plus something I do not know.

'Karkare found that there are non-Muslims involved in acts of terrorism in some cases. Any person going to the roots of terrorism has always been the target,' Antulay had said, adding: 'There is more than what meets the eye.'

Despite the clamour for his removal getting louder, Antulay stood his ground.

While maintaining that Karkare and his two colleagues from the ATS were killed by the terrorists who attacked Mumbai Nov 26, he had said: 'What I wanted to know was who directed them to drive towards Cama hospital when all the action was centred around the Taj, Nariman House and the Trident Oberoi?'