Now NBA urges I&B Ministry to withdraw show cause notices

As reported earlier known, the I&B ministry has issued a show-cause notice to four news channels - Aaj Tak, ABP News, NDTV 24x7 and NDTV India. Notice has been issued for these channels’ coverage of Yakub Memon’s hanging. Broadcast Editors’ Association had expressed concern on it soon after the notice was given.

One day later, News Broadcasters Association (NBA) too has expressed concern at the show cause notices. A communique issued by NBA states, ‘Since the present Government has gone on record to state that it believes the media should be independent, without any Government interference and it  should self-regulate itself, NBA urges the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to withdraw the show cause notices issued and refer them to the New Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA), which would consider them under its regulations.’

Earlier Broadcast Editors Association (BEA) had issued a statement saying, ‘The apex body of editors of news channels in India has expressed its dismay over the latest notices reportedly issued to three channels— ABP News, Aaj Tak and NDTV— on the questionable pretext that their coverage pertaining to Yakub Memon's death sentence amounted to contempt of the institution of the President as also the judiciary. The BEA has decided to take up this issue with the government.’

The Government, in our view, should handover the cases, so to say to NBSA and give them a timeframe to take action. Meanwhile, it would be interesting to find out ratings for the specific coverage that has led to these notices.