No curb on freedom of media, says Manmohan

Agencies
Posted: Saturday, Jan 17, 2009 at 0947 hrs IST
Updated: Saturday, Jan 17, 2009 at 0947 hrs IST

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New Delhi: After the proposed curbs by the government on TV channels over live coverage of incidents like Mumbai attacks was virtually put on hold, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday assured that nothing will be done to curb the freedom of the media.

The assurance was given by the Prime Minister during a meeting with a delegation of TV editors in New Delhi on Friday evening.

The editors had sought his intervention after they voiced serious objections to the planned curbs describing them as nothing but censorship.

CNN-IBN Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai, who had led the delegation of TV editors, told reporters after the meeting that "the Prime Minister has assured that he will do everything in his powers to ensure that news shown on TV is not compromised in any manner."

Sardesai added that the Prime Minister gave them a personal assurance that he would not allow anyone to control media as he believes in the freedom of press.

A statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office on Wednesday had said that changes in the rules "will be made only after widest possible consultation with all stakeholders" giving some respite to the TV networks.

The statement said the Prime Minister had received several representations from media agencies regarding the proposed changes in the Cable TV Network Rules currently under consideration.

Expressing complete satisfaction with the meeting, Sardesai said that "all of us are satisfied with his personal initiative and hope that this dispute will end today".

The TV channel editors on their behalf assured the Prime Minister that they will follow the self regulation code formulated by News Broadcasters Association (NBA) and will further strengthen it.

Comments

» Freedom of Media

Posted by N K Sinha on 2009-01-18 13:18:43.154528+05:30
Media should have a responsibility towards the nation also along with the freedom. Most of them give priority to Money and power. They don't care about the national interest neither many are not true to their profession and coverage is given without varifying facts as in the case of oil sector strike. Mumbai attacks coverage was another example. Asking questions about Warwith pakistan to all the ministers, and banking on their slightest remarks to create publicity for their media. Media body should itself re-strain itself otherwise govt has every right to curb it and media body will itself to be blamed for that.

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» Freedom of press

Posted by Tushar on 2009-01-17 21:49:59.400256+05:30
I read that the operators of the terrorists in Pakistan were informing them on phones about arrival of comandos over roof top; watching it on TV, I think broadcasters should not broadcast such scenses which can help terrorists, which code do they follow?

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» AMERICA IS EXPOSE

Posted by MYDAKSHA.COM on 2009-01-17 16:12:23.310649+05:30
DONT TRY TO TEACH US HOW TO RUN OUR COUNTRY WE KNOW VERY WELL HOW RUN YOUR COUNTRY, SO INDIAN RULE WILL APPLY, YOU RESPECT OUR LAW WHEN YOU COME TO INDIA WHEN SPECIALLY FBI LANDING AT THE MUMBAI AIRPORT WITHOUT PROPER VISA. RESPECT OUR LAW OR GET ARRESTED. RAJESH DHARIA

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» AMERICA IS EXPOSE

Posted by MYDAKSHA.COM on 2009-01-17 16:08:33.453324+05:30
THIS CNN-IBN WILL NOT TAKE NEGATIVE AMERICAN NEWS SO WE WILL NOT ENTERTAIN THIS CNN , CBS AND ABC, OR NBC THIS ARE ARE US BASED MEDIA AND WE MUST BLOCK THEM TIME TO TIME IF THE NEWS THAT THEY ARE GOING SHOW IS BAD ABOUT INDIA. RAJESH DHAIRA

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» AMERICA IS EXPOSE

Posted by MYDAKSHA.COM on 2009-01-17 16:05:58.712723+05:30
CNN-IBN I WILL NOT CALL IT NATIONAL MEDIA BECAUSE THEY ARE BIASED BAN THIS CHENNEL ALTOGETHER. THEY ARE AFFLIATED WITH CNN SO THIS IS AN INTERNATIONAL MEDIA COMPANY AND HAS NO RIGHT TO DEMAND ANYTHING FROM INDIA. RAJESH DHARIA

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» Media should have responsiblity with freedom

Posted by Rajesh on 2009-01-17 15:31:20.335012+05:30
Media should have a responsibility towards the nation also along with the freedom. Most of them give priority to Money and dont care about the Public sentiments or safety. Mumbai attacks coverage was one example. Asking questions about Warwith pakistan to all the ministers, and banking on their slightest remarks to create publicity for their media.

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» AMERICA IS EXPOSE

Posted by MYDAKSHA.COM on 2009-01-17 14:55:47.708032+05:30
DONT GIVE THEM TOTAL FREEDOM BECAUSE THEY DONT COVER EACH AND EVERY STORY THEY ALSO SELECT THE STORY SO YES GOVERNMENT CAN PUT CENSOR ON WHAT TO BE SHOW NAND NOT TO BE SHOWN. RAJESH DHARIA,

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» Freedom or a set of INSTRUMENTAL symbyotic compromises!!

Posted by Vishnu Sharan on 2009-01-17 12:25:45.790157+05:30
The idea of allowing edited coverage of events as gory as the one in Mumbai is much needed. The manner in which those set of circumstances were shown and SOLD consistently across a few TV channels was ALARMING if nothing worse. What are our rather SOFT PM's compromised hands are dealing with here is the bigger question?As regards freedom of media, NO ONE DARE be kidding with it. Only that the Indian media itself is enough capable of holding it ransom to unknown ethics!!A simple example,when Mumbai attacks happened,a local PIL was put in by a business body,asking the Government to explain its existence. This was CONVENIENTLY NOT brought out by the INDIAN MEDIA and how important a news was it,I don't have to write? I think the Indian media is in very capable hands that are prepared to sell themselves off so that fellow countrymen have to depend on International news papers for information. So much for the freedom of information

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» Gagging of Press/Media

Posted by Varinder Sarin on 2009-01-17 10:22:53.505157+05:30
At the outset why this idea of gagging electronic and print media cropped up and why now PM is clarifying this? It appears UPA in fact is like a Wolf in Sheep clothing, every time trying to divert public attention from the core issues like failure on internal security and Scams.

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» Look who is talking

Posted by Parthiv Dhar on 2009-01-17 10:02:46.755522+05:30
We have all seen how media was dictated by the Govt during the recent Oil Strike and how media stooped so low as to project only one side of the story ; deshdrohi ; blackmailers and what not!!!! AND NOW YOU TALK OF REMOVING INTERFERENCE! YOU DESERVE IT .

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