According to the latest statement issued by MIB, Asianet News TV and Media One TV channels have been banned for a period of 48 hours starting 19:30:00 hours on 06th March, 2O2O to 19:30:00 hours on 8th March 2O2O.
This announcement came after MIB found Asianet News TV guilty for misreporting the North East Delhi violence.
According to MIB, Media One News channel while reporting on Delhi violence in its Bulletin carried a phone-in of its Delhi correspondent Hassanul Banna saying that vandals fired at an anti-CM protest site from a rooftop from 2 pm to 9 pm and around 5 anti-CM protesters were injured.
The Ministry had also issued an Advisory on 25.02.2020 in the matter advising the channels to strictly abide by the Programme Code of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995.
MIB STATEMENT QUOTED: “While reporting such critical incident, the channel (Asianet News TV) should have taken utmost care and should have reported it in a balanced way. Such reporting could enhance the communal disharmony across the country when the situation is highly volatile. The Ministry has time and again issued Advisories to all News Channels to comply by the provisions of the rules. Due care and responsibility is expected while reporting news based on such incidents. However, it is abundantly clear that the channel has not adhered to the Programme codes and has shown irresponsibility by not fully complying to them. The Ministry has come to the conclusion that Asianet News TV channel had violated Rule 6 (1) (c)& (e) of the Programme Code prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and the rules framed thereunder by telecasting said news regarding the North East Delhi violence’.”
A detailed version of the statements is available on the official website of MIB.