Editors Guild of India condemns govt’s order to block NDTV India for a day

Editors Guild of India said on Friday that the information and broadcasting ministry’s decision to take off air news channel NDTV India for a day should be rescinded.

Editors Guild of India said on Friday that the information and broadcasting ministry’s decision to take off air news channel NDTV India for a day should be rescinded.

The I&B panel expressed “grave concern” that the channel had revealed sensitive details like location of ammunition depot viz-a-viz the space where the terrorists were holed up and location of residential areas. (PTI File Photo)

In statement issued in Delhi, the guild said the move by the government is a “direct violation of the freedom of the media and therefore the citizens of India and amounts to harsh censorship imposed by the government reminiscent of the Emergency.”

On Thursday, the ministry had issued orders barring the channel from airing for a day on November 9. An inter ministerial committee found the channel guilty of violating the broadcast norms and relayed information that could affect national security.

The guild has however criticised the move and said there are legal provisions to deal with at irresponsible coverage.

The Broadcast Editors Association (BEA) has also asked NDTV to submit its report to it. BEA’s NK Singh told HT that it would assess the content put out by the channel and other media organisations before coming to a conclusion.

Below is the full text of the statement