The News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA) has recently condemned the recent attacks by the Student Federation of India (SFI) activists into the office of Malayalam news channel Asianet in Kochi and the subsequent police search of its office in Kozhikode, Kerala.
The attacks by the SFI activists and the subsequent police search of the broadcaster’s office come against the backdrop of the reporting by Asianet news channel on the issue of drug and sexual abuse of a young girl in Kerala.
The NBDA has previously urged the Chief Minister of Kerala to take immediate action against the individuals and officials who attacked and/or searched the broadcaster’s office premises.
Furthermore, Avinash Pandey, President of News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA), has addressed a letter dated 6.3.2023 to Pinarayi Vijayan, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Kerala to take immediate action against the individuals and officials who attacked and/or searched the premises of the office of Malayalam news channel Asianet in Kochi and Kozhikode, Kerala, a Member of NBDA.
For reasons of complete context and clarity, Mediabrief.com reproduces Avinash Pandey’s letter in its entirety below.
March 6, 2023
Shri Pinarayi Vijayan Hon’ble Chief Minister of Kerala 3rd Floor, North Block, Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram – 695 001
Dear Pinarayi Vijayan ji,
We write on behalf of the News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA), the apex body and the collective voice of news & current affairs broadcasters and digital news media entities.
Asianet News Network Pvt. Ltd (Asianet), a member of the NBDA, has brought to our notice the attack by Student Federation of India (SFI) activists at its premises in Kochi and the subsequent police search conducted at its office in Kozhikode, Kerala.
NBDA maintains that while no individual or institution is above the law, however, it condemns any attempt to muzzle the media and thereby cause any interference with the free functioning of news operations. Such attacks and searches are not only unacceptable, but they also undermine the basic tenets of freedom of speech and expression enshrined in the Constitution of India.
We sincerely urge you and the State administration to take immediate action against the individuals and officials who attacked and/or searched the office premises of Asianet and ensure that journalists and media persons are allowed to perform their duties in a free and fearless manner.
In this regard, NBDA has issued a press release on 6.3.2023, a copy of which is attached for your perusal.
As an Association, we believe in promoting excellence in broadcasting standards and all Members are governed by the Code of Ethics & Broadcasting Standards. As a result, we have constituted an independent Self-Regulatory Adjudicatory Body namely the “News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority” (NBDSA) which is headed by a retired Supreme Court Judge Justice A.K Sikri. NBDSA considers and adjudicates upon complaints with respect to broadcasts/publications including all content which violates the Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards and the Guidelines issued by it. All such complaints can be made to :-
“News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority C/o News Broadcasters & Digital Association Mantec House, C-56/5, 2nd Floor, Sector 62 – Noida – 201 301”
It would be in the larger interest of freedom of speech and expression of the media, if in future any complaint with regard to any broadcaster/ digital news media entity is decided by NBDSA.
We request your kind intervention in such matters.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
Avinash Pandey
President
NBDA has previously ‘strongly condemned’ these actions. In a statement, the NBDA has stated, “These actions are not only unacceptable but are also a direct impingement on the media’s freedom of speech and expression as enshrined under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.
“NBDA unequivocally states that there can be no possible justification for attacking and/or searching the broadcaster’s premises as such attacks and searches are an obvious attempt to muzzle the media,” the association added.