National

Media warned of penal action for violating norms

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI APRIL3. The Press Council of India today warned both the print and the electronic media that contravention of the ethical norms of coverage of the situation that affected communal harmony could attract penal provisions.

The Council's warning came in the form of a renewed appeal to the media after its observations of coverage of the events in Gujarat during the last one month.

``The role of the media in such situation is to be peace-makers and not abettors, to be trouble-shooters and not trouble-makers. Let the media play their noble role of promoting peace and harmony among the people in the present crisis in Gujarat. Any trend to disrupt the same either directly or indirectly would be an anti-national act,'' the Press Council Chairman, K. Jayachandra Reddy, said.He said that when the communal unrest began, the PCI had issued an appeal on March 4, asking the media to play a role ``in moulding public opinion on correct lines in regard to the need of friendly and harmonious relations between various communities and religious groups and thus promote national solidarity''.

Re-emphasising the role, it said the media should strictly adhere to proper norms and standards in reporting or commenting on matters which have a bearing on communal relations. ``One such important norm is not to distort, or exaggerate, not to employ intemperate, inciting and unrestrained language. The local papers particularly should strictly adhere to this norm,'' it said.

The Council said it fervently hoped that the media would heed the appeal made to it in the interest of the nation as a whole. ``But it has been noted with deep anguish that a large number of newspapers and news channels in the country and, in particular a large section of the print and electronic media in Gujarat had, instead of alleviating the communal unrest, played an ignoble role in inciting communal passions leading to large-scale rioting, arson and pillage in the State.''

In his appeal, Mr. Justice Reddy said that any news report printed or published by the print media or relayed by the electronic media in contravention of ethical norms in reporting or commenting on matters pertaining to communal harmony was likely to ``invite penal action'' under the provisions of Section 295-A of the Indian Penal Code and allied provisions.

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