For close to a week now, intense discussions are going on in the Blogosphere about the Barkha Dutt (NDTV) Vs C Kunte (A blogger from Netherlands) dispute which has interesting elements of Law, Fairness, Freedom of Speech, the Power of money etc. By any standards, it is dispute which makes juicy news item for any media.
For those who have not followed the dispute, the dispute arose when a blogger Mr Kunte who had posted a note on the news coverage of NDTV during the Mumbai terrorist attack on 26-28th of November 2008. The coverage made by Ms Barkha Dutt, the Managing Editor of NDTV was called “Shoddy” etc. in the report. After this he withdrew his posting and published an apology which appeared to have been drafted by the lawyers of Barkha Dutt. (Please see the earlier blog for details).
The blogosphere understands that a legal notice must have been served on Mr Kunte which prompted him to file his apology and withdraw the posting.
The issue raised serious questions of “Ethics” where a senior journalist like Barkha Dutt should have chosen to take offence to a ctiticism of her coverage and use her clout to silence the blogger.
It also raised questions on whether the blog post indeed amounted to “Defamation” and there were reasonable grounds for barkha to take offence.
There were also interesting questions on how the blogger in Netherlands could be served a notice by Barkha Dutt. Was there a threat to take action in Netherlands Court? or in Indian Court? Was there any other form of threat such as pressure through the blogger’s employers was used to make him retract his statement etc.
There was also a question of the “Status of a Blogger” vis a vis a “Journalist” and whether the bloggers can be considered as “Journalists” and whether “Press Council of India” can come to the help of the bloggers in such cases.
There was also a questionof whether bloggers (say in India) can organize themselves into a group and call themselves a “Collaborative publication” and seek registration with Press Council for their “Collaborative Publication” to enjoy the membership benefits of the Press Council.
Each of these issues make an interesting news story and commonsense suggests that media should have taken this up for further discussion.
However, the traditional media both in Print and TV in India are conspicuous by their silence on either reporting about the dispute or analysing the implications. Are they showing their solidarity with a fellow jouranalist? or Are they afraid that Barkha Dutt or NDTV would launch a legal attack on them also?
This is a time when the media persons will have to come out in their support to certain principles of Journalism. If they think that “Freedom of Expression” is only for them and not for the others, they will be seen as hypocrites. Hope there are still some genuine Journalsits around who stick to principles who will come out in supprot of the bloggers.
Naavi
(2 votes, average: 4 out of 5)
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5 users commented in " Indian Media silent in the NDTV Vs Kunte controversy "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackWell there are none in tv media thats is for sure. Who do you want to take up this issue and sensationalise it? India TV?Aaj Tak? Star News? tell me
Only a few people in print media can do it.
I am also waiting for the same. I read an article in Pune Mirror about this i think.
Well, with what face they would report it?
And how would we expect it to be reported in print; as most of them are owned by media barons with powerful news channels.
Then they came out with a joke called self regulation policy, laughing on the face of the people and govt. They even rejected the govt’s draft policy, threatened and used their networks to diminish it.
I personally had a high regards about Barkha, till couple of years back when she used our army to satisfy her lust for fame. No amount of criticism, feedback will help Barkha and co to get their morals back.
Our govt. should learn from BBC and CNN on their reporting structure where they stick to the news, don’t air irresponsible comments and follow the govt guidelines.
All of them are swimming in the same muck.
I have sent the following mail to Secretary Press Council of India. (pcibpp@gmail.com)
I wish others may also send similar mails.
To
The Secretary
Perss Council Of India
Delhi
Dear Sir,
I am Naavi (Na.Vijayashankar), founder of http://www.naavi.org. I am also the
Chairman of Digital Society of India, Chairman of the Legal
Enablement Committee of NIC on G2C transactions and other Cyber Law
related initiatives in India.
I request you to kindly clarify on the following issues which confront
me as well as the Cyber Society.
1. As you are aware, Indian law recognizes electronic documents as
equivalent to written paper. Accordingly, what is published in the
Cyber space has as much relvance in law as a printed publication.
2. On the Internet, there are websites which are owned by somebody
while the contributions are made by others. There are also copies of
traditional press operating as an independent media. There are also
news letters and Blogs. Of these, Blogs are publications where the
author, editor and publisher may be the same person. In this context,
I would like to know if a blogger can seek registration of the Press
Council as a “Journal” and if so, what is the procedure.
3. I also draw your attention to the raging controversy in the
Blogosphere where a Blogger who wrote a comment critical of the
Coverage of the Mumbai Terrorist attacks on November 26th and 27th
(2008) by MS Barkha Dutt, Managing Editor of NDTV (Details available
here: http://www.bloggernews.net/119566), and was apparently silenced
by a threatening legal notice alleging defamation.
4. Most observers consider that the action of NDTV in launching a
legal action (as is apparent from the apology letter published by the
blogger) was an unfair assault on the freedom of expression of the
blogger.
5. I would like to know if it is within the scope of activities of
Press Council to advise its own members like NDTV that one of the
norms to be followed by journalists is to respect the freedom of
expression of others or come in support of the victim of such an
alleged oppression.
6. In many cases of publication of an article in the Press, whenever
there is a clash of opinion, the practice is to publish a counter view
in the same space as the original publication as a sufficient remedy
against alleged defamation. Withdrawal of an already published
material is not feasible and not expected. In the case of blogs
therefore, the appropriate remedy when there is a controversy is to
publish the counter view in the same blog and not demand withdrawal of
the blog post itself as NDTV has forced the blogger to do. I would
like Press Council to come out with a clarification on the same.
7. Additionally, I suggest that the Press Council take a suo motu
action of setting up a sub committee to address the issue of “Blogging
in India” and come up with suggestions for itself or the Government on
how Blogs can be regulated or provided normal freedom associated with
the Press along with the privileges.
I look forward to your reply at the earliest.
Thanking you
Yours sincerely
Na.Vijayashankar
Editor, Contributor, http://www.naavi.org
No 37, 20th Main, B S K First Stage
Bangalore 560050
+91 9343554943
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