An expose
Is
NDTV free, fair and objective?
It is a sad commentary on our media that it claims
to be free, fair, fearless, impartial, objective and what not, but with just a
very few exceptions it is only otherwise. A similar claim is made by NDTV
and its CEO Prannoy Roy. But the facts repudiate its boast. Here are two
instances.
In 2005-06 NDTV launched a relentless
tirade against Baba Ramdev. It gave widespread coverage to Mrs. Brinda Karat's
campaign against the Baba alleging that the medicines produced in his pharmacy
contained human and animal bones. The NDTV organized many panel
discussions to negate Baba's claim that certain chronic diseases could be
treated with the pranayam-yoga promoted by him. Incidentally, Mrs. Karat is Mr.
Prannoy Roy's sister-in-law.
On the basis of these allegations and samples
produced by her, the then Congress government of Uttarakhand got the medicines
tested through some trusted laboratories. The then Health Minister held a press
conference in March 2006 and declared that government had got the medicines
tested and "the
samples of the Divya Yog Pharmacy (of Swami Ramdev) had been found free of
human body parts or skull". But, surprisingly, the NDTV which
had organized a campaign against Patanjali Yog medicines deliberately blacked
out this news, thus denying this important information from its readers who had
all along been fed with wrong information and allegations about medicines
manufactured in Baba's pharmacy.
Immediately, this writer protested to Mr. Roy
through e-mail and a letter by post regretting this withholding this vital
information from NDTV viewers which amounted to a grave journalistic
misconduct. He did have the courtesy neither to acknowledge the letter nor to
correct the mistake NDTV had done. This act of NDTV was against
the canons of media ethics which NDTV otherwise boasted to hold close to
its chest.
Ultimately, this writer wrote to INDIA TODAY narrating
the facts and NDTV conduct. INDIA TODAY was kind enough to publish this
as the first letter in its valuable columns. NDTV or Mr. Prannoy Roy did
not respond even to the letter published in the Weekly.
The NDTV indulged in another similar
outrage against its viewers on June 20. Before going for the last break during PRIME
TIME panel discussion, the anchor Mr. Ravish Kumar declared that since many
questions had been raised about 1984 anti-Sikh riots, he will put this matter
for discussion after the break. But to the surprise of the viewers, no such
discussion was taken up and the programme ended. This clearly amounts to
cheating the viewers and is against media morals and ethics. This writer wrote
to Mr. Roy protesting against this conduct. The NDTV has as yet to
acknowledge the letter and regret this mistake during the programe. Obviously,
the discussion was not taken up because of certain extraneous considerations
during the break.
What else could one say about the boast of NDTV
to be free, fair, fearless, objective and impartial?
PS: If
NDTV has to say anything, it could send its comments which will be
carried word by word.
