The News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) has directed Times Now TV channel to a public air apology to activist Sanjukta Basu for passing objectionable remarks against her during a TV debate in 2018.
The channel has been asked to air the apology on October 27 at 9 pm.
Times Now had reportedly called Basu names like “Hindu hater” and “vile troll” during two debates on April 6, 2018 following which she had filed a complaint against the channel.
The Wire reported that Basu first served a legal notice to Times Now on April 24, 2018. After not finding the reply by the media house satisfactory, she approached the NBSA which has now issued the order.
According to the NBSA order, Times Now has to air the following apology:
"We regret that in the programmes aired on 6.4.2018 - 'India Upfront'@ 8 pm and 'The NewsHour Debate'@ 9 pm on Times Now channel, we had not taken the version of the complainant Ms Sanjukta Basu, thereby violating the principles relating to impartiality and objectivity and ensuring neutrality and fairness in reporting. We clarify that there was no intention to bring disrepute to Ms Sanjukta Basu."
Reacting to the NBSA ordewr, Basu said, "I have won my case against @TimesNow."
"I fought the case on my own without hiring a lawyer. After this, I want to take up similar cases pro-bono. Contact me if you want to sue the fascists.Legal process is not useless. Please fight for your rights in Courts. It is worth it," she said in another tweet.
This comes a day after the NBSA directed four Hindi news channels to air apologies for violating journalistic norms while reporting the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
It also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Aaj Tak.
AajTak, Zee News, India TV and News 24 have been found in violation of journalistic norms, the authority said in its order.
The order was passed in a complaint filed by filmmaker Nilesh Navalakha who was represented by Advocates Rajesh Inamdar and Shashwat Anand.
Another Hindi TV channel ABP News has been asked by NBSA to remove objectionable videos of coverage of the death of the actor.
Sushant was found dead at his home in Mumbai on June 14. The case was initially suspected to be a suicide and was probed by the Mumbai Police. It was later handed over to CBI which is yet to officially release its conclusions.
All TV channels incessantly reported on the death of the actor, some even sensationalising the death and accusing Sushant's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty for his death.
