The News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has directed three TV news channels to remove videos of certain programmes on communal issues as they violated the Code of Ethics and other guidelines. Penalties have also been imposed on two of them.
With respect to a programme broadcast by Times Now Navbharat on May 31, 2023, the NBDSA had received a complaint alleging that it violated the Code of Ethics & Broadcasting Standards and the principles relating to impartiality, objectivity, neutrality, and accuracy, apart from the Guidelines for prevention of hate speech, anchors conducting programmes, including debates and prevention of communal colour in reporting crime, riots, rumours, and such related incidents.
In the programme, during which the Shraddha Walker murder case was discussed, allegations of “love jihad” had been made. The NBDSA considered the submissions of both parties and concluded that “the anchor incorrectly cited Shraddha Walker as an example of ‘love jihad’. “…the term ‘love jihad’ should be used with serious introspection in future broadcasts as religious stereotyping amounts to a violation of the Code of Ethics,” it said in the murder.
