News channels ordered off air for violence footage

MUMBAI, February 4: Invoking for the first time the provisions of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, the Mumbai Police has stopped transmission of two news channels — Sahara Mumbai and India TV — “for repeatedly telecasting clippings of tension between workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Samajwadi Party (SP)”. Cable operators have been directed to stop transmission of the two channels for 24 hours from the time they receive a copy of the order.

“The news channels cannot show visuals which are defamatory or can cause a law and order situation. We have hence issued an order under Section 19 of the Act, which specifically states that ‘half truths’ cannot be spread,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) K L Prasad.

The “half truth”, Prasad said, in this case was in the manner in which the channels tried to depict through pictures, videos and words that “Mumbai is tense”. “A situation controlled in 20 minutes was made to look as if it was still happening,” Prasad said.

The “operative order” which was ready by early evening was eventually passed only later in the night after a long meeting convened at Prasad’s office.

Sahara Mumbai chief Rajeev Bajaj said he had heard about the order but had not been contacted. “I spoke to (Home Minister) R R Patil, and he said there is no such ban. If an order has been passed, we will fight it out in court.”

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