News channels asked to apologize on air by NBSA
On Thursday December 10 the News Broadcasting Standard Authority (NBSA) ordered three news channels to air an apology for their reports on the hindi film actor Rakul Preet Singh in connection to drugs. The regulator group criticized Zee News, Zee 24 Taas, Zee Hindustani, Times Now, India Today, Aaj Tak, India TV, News Nation and ABP News for publishing “slanderous reports linking actor Rakul Preet Singh to drugs”.
NBSA has now directed these channels to pull down all the videos in question if they are still on their websites, You Tube or any other social media pages. The regulatory board has then asked them to report back within seven days.
The Zee Group channels have been asked to air an apology on December 17 before 9PM for running hashtags and taglines that the board found “offensive, derogatory and volatile in the code of ethics”.
The NBSA warned other channels from using hashtags and images of Rakul Preet Singh and suggested them to stay more cautious and not broadcast “unverified and incorrect information”.
In September the actor had filed a case in the Delhi High Court against unverified reports linking her with a drug case that was being investigated by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).The Delhi High Court on September 29 asked the Centre, the Information and Broadcasting ministry, the Press Council of India and the News Broadcasting Association to respond to the actress Singh’s plea.
The Bombay High Court in September told the government that it was ‘surprised’ to know that there are no provisions to handle or regulate electronic media.
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