The Indian government has ordered one TV channel to pay a fine and three channels to apologize for violating the rules in reporting on actor Sushant Singh's suicide.
The News Broadcasting Standards Authority has directed Zee News and News24 and India TV to apologize for showing programs and taglines that violate Indian actor Sushant Singh's suicide guideline.
NBSA has imposed a fine of Rs 100,000 on the news channel till date. According to a report by Live Law, the self-regulatory body has condemned the reporting on the death of the actor. V has been ordered to issue an apology for violating the victim's privacy and dignity.
A spokesman for the NBSA said it was the job of news channels to report in the public interest, but also to ensure that the news was broadcast in a way that did not affect the victim's personal life. Nor should it present a tragic event in a sensational way.
Referring to the controversial 'hit wicket' tagline of the TV channel till date, NBSA said that it seems that questions are being asked from Sushant Singh who is no more in this world.
These taglines are objectionable and interfere with their personal lives and damage their dignity. The order also said that to date, TV has not taken the necessary precautions before showing tweets in the name of Sushant Singh. These were fake tweets which were later removed by the channel, so a fine of Rs 100,000 has been imposed on TV till date.
The NBSA has also directed India TV and Aaj Tak to apologize for showing the body of the affected actor, calling it a serious violation of broadcasting rules and ordering that all these programs be stopped. Videos should be removed immediately if they are on the broadcaster's website, YouTube or anywhere else.
The NBSA also said that to date, a TV reporter has entered the actor's house after his death and tried to interview his father and sister during such a tragic incident. There was a serious violation.
