News broadcasters’ 5-point directive to working in times of Covid-19

In light of the growing spread of the Coronavirus across the country (which at last count was around 400 positive cases), social distancing has become essential for everyone. Along with the medical fraternity as well as law & order personnel and people providing essential services, News media has also been at the forefront in bringing all the developing news across the country. 

However, this frequently puts them at the risk of infection as most report from the hotspots of the virus spread. Rajat Sharma, President, News Broadcasters Association (NBA), in a press statement stated that keeping in mind that news broadcast is an essential service and studios and broadcast offices cannot be shut down, the Board of Directors of NBA has decided to request all news broadcasters to take the following preventive measures immediately to ensure social distancing to deal with Coronavirus: 

1. Steps should be taken to minimise staff in the broadcast centres and all those employees who can work from home should be requested to work from their residence. 

2. All reporters and camerapersons, who are out in the field among the public, shall not come to their offices but shall send their news feeds from the field to ingest through proper channels. 

3. NBA has asked all reporters and camera persons not to crowd around individuals to collect sound bites. They should maintain a distance of at least four feet from one another while holding their mikes in pursuance of the WHO guidelines. 

4. NBA has requested the Delhi Government to earmark a particular parking lot for parking DSNG vans so that these vehicles may not be required to return to office. 
5. NBA has asked all member news channels to telecast special programmes to create awareness among the public about precautions to be followed to counter the Coronavirus threat.