Censorship for TV news channels? Supreme Court mentions Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, slams ‘berserk’ coverage standards

The Supreme Court, in a bid to tighten the reins on TV news channels, has demanded stronger regulations for media broadcasters. The court, led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, emphasised the necessity of an enhanced self-regulatory mechanism. The court specifically mentioned some channels going "berserk" during their coverage of actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death case.

"Because of the kind of frenzy after the death of that actor, everybody went berserk, presuming it is a murder… You pre-empt criminal investigation," PTI quoted the apex court as saying.

"You say it is clear that, barring a few instances, almost all TV channels maintain self-restraint in telecast. I don't know if you take a headcount of the people in court, who will agree with what you say," the CJI told senior advocate Arvind Datar, who was appearing for the News Broadcasters Association (NBA).

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Censorship for TV news channels?

Rather than imposing censorship, the Supreme Court is urging for more effective self-regulation in the media industry. This decision comes after the court sought responses from the Centre and various entities on a plea filed by the News Broadcasters and Digital Association (NBDA) against the Bombay High Court's observations in January 2021.

The Bombay High Court earlier asserted that media trials could be seen as contempt of court, advising the press not to overstep its boundaries. The coverage of Sushant Singh Rajput's death by certain news channels was deemed "contemptuous" by the high court. In light of these developments, the Supreme Court has now stepped in to ensure a more robust self-regulatory mechanism for news broadcasters.

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Self-regulatory mechanism

The existing self-regulatory mechanism in the media industry, represented by the NBDA, has been deemed insufficient by the Supreme Court. The court has expressed concern over the low penalties currently in place, which haven't been revised since 2008. The court's focus is on enhancing the effectiveness of self-regulation, rather than enforcing governmental control over media content.

The self-regulatory body of the NBDA, which includes a committee chaired by a former judge of the Supreme Court, has dealt with over 4,000 complaints so far. However, the court is calling for a more potent approach to self-regulation, with penalties proportionate to the profits gained from potentially controversial shows.

(With PTI inputs)