Restrain news channels from spreading negativity: PIL in HC

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been moved in Delhi High Court seeking issuance of direction to the Government of India to frame guidelines in a time-bound manner for an airing of news articles of sensitive nature such as reporting of mass-scale deaths and sufferings by the people by the broadcasters/ TV channels and restraining them from spreading negativity, sense of insecurity towards life, alarm, injury, harm, suffering, and damage.

The plea is likely to be heard by the bench of Justice DN Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh on Monday. The petitioner, Lalit Valecha is a practicing lawyer in Delhi, also seeks issuance of appropriate directions for evolving and enforcing the Code of Ethics/Regulations on the TV news channels for regulating the contents of the news broadcasts and various other programs, so that it does not cause negativity, sense of insecurity towards life, alarm, injury, harm and damage to the public at large and does not ruin the morale of the people.

The PIL mentioned that TV news channels are airing news bulletins 24×7 and most of the time such news bulletins are repeat telecast. Although the same negative images/visuals/stories are shown in the repeated programs, it gives an impression as if new/fresh incidents are occurring every now and then. In the present-day scenario, in view of the fact that the people are confined indoors, people do watch the news channel time and again. It also states that news articles and various other programs are watched by all including children, old, sick and critically sick, infirm persons.