News Broadcasting
NBDSA fines News18, Times Now and Zee News for violating rules
Mumbai : The News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has ruled that certain programs broadcast by News18 India and Zee News violated the Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards and Specific Guidelines. The news channels’ videos have been ordered to be removed from online platforms.
Concerning a News18 India news debate on 18 January 2022, the NBDSA observed that the program’s thrust had religious undertones.
“By starting the debate on the premise that 20 per cent people were ganging up against Hindus constituting 80 per cent, the anchor had given the debate a thrust, which is communal in nature and not appropriate,” it said.
The order, which imposed a fine of Rs 50,000, stated: “No doubt, even those elements belonging to minorities who give inflammatory speeches against the people of other religions/majority, have to be condemned. If the debate had been confined with such an objective in mind, probably there would have not been any problem with the same. However, utterances of few such individuals belonging to a particular community should not lead to communal divide.”
Concerning a “Desh Nahi Jhukne Denge with Aman Chopra live” show related to the murder of Praveen Nettaru, the NBDSA stated that “during the debate the anchor instead of blaming a few miscreants for the murders and violence in fact blamed the religion for the violence that occurred”.
The News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA), through a series of orders, has held certain programmes aired by News18 India and Zee News to be in violation of the Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards and Specific Guidelines. The news channels have been directed to remove their videos from online platforms.
Concerning a News18 India news debate on 18 January 2022, the NBDSA observed that the program’s thrust had religious undertones.. “By starting the debate on the premise that 20 per cent people were ganging up against Hindus constituting 80 per cent, the anchor had given the debate a thrust, which is communal in nature and not appropriate,” it said.
Imposing a fine of Rs 50,000, the order said: “No doubt, even those elements belonging to minorities who give inflammatory speeches against the people of other religions/majority, have to be condemned. If the debate had been confined with such an objective in mind, probably there would have not been any problem with the same. However, utterances of few such individuals belonging to a particular community should not lead to communal divide.”
As regards a “Desh Nahi Jhukne Denge with Aman Chopra live” show related to the Praveen Nettaru murder case, the NBDSA noted that “during the debate the anchor instead of blaming a few miscreants for the murders and violence in fact blamed the religion for the violence that occurred”.
Another program pertaining to alleged police violence during the occasion of Garba was broadcast on 4 October 2022. Stating that the broadcaster failed to condemn police violence, the authority imposed a fine of Rs 25,000.
On 4 October 2022, a different program about alleged police brutality at the Garba celebration was shown. The authorities levied a fine of Rs 25,000, claiming that the broadcaster failed to denounce police brutality.
The NBDSA said while the broadcaster had merely reported the said incidents as transpired in Ahmedabad, Indore and Akola, the language used in the tickers gave a “communal tilt to the broadcast”.
A complaint was also filed against the “Desh Nahi Jhukne Denge” debate titled “Ghazwa-e-Hind” on 5 August , 2022. The authority observed that the broadcast attempted to communalize the issue of demographic changes in the country’s border areas as a result of infiltration. It also imposed Rs 20,000 fine in this case.
The NBDSA stated that it was permissible to hold a debate on the issue of population explosion in its order on a complaint against a Zee News program dated 12 July 20022, which was related to the Uttar Pradesh-Population Control Bill but the broadcast apparently “lacked objectivity and neutrality as it disproportionately focused only on one religion/community as being solely responsible for the population growth”.
In the case of a Times Now broadcast on 23 September 2022 about a protest in Pune by supporters of the now-banned Popular Front of India, the NBDSA warned the broadcaster to be more cautious in the future when reporting such stories.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 rolls out Battle for the States ahead of key polls
Multi-format election coverage tracks voter mood across five battleground states
NEW DELHI: CNN-News18 has launched a special election programming initiative titled Battle for the States, as India gears up for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
Built around the theme ‘Road to Power’, the multi-format coverage aims to follow the entire electoral journey, from campaigning and polling to results and government formation. The network is leaning into on-ground reportage and data-backed storytelling to decode voter sentiment across regions where local issues often shape the narrative.
The programming line-up includes ‘Vote Tracker’, a three-part series developed in collaboration with survey agency Vote Vibe. The show blends survey insights with expert commentary and field reporting, using augmented reality graphics to present complex electoral data such as vote share, seat projections and leadership preferences in a more accessible format. It will air every Monday evening until April 6.
Adding a cultural lens to political reporting is ‘So Saree!’, a ground-driven segment where women anchors travel across constituencies dressed in traditional handwoven sarees from each state. The format uses attire as a storytelling device, highlighting regional identity while capturing grassroots voices.
Meanwhile, ‘Unfiltered Kaapi’ and ‘Chai-Niti’ bring a more conversational tone, drawing inspiration from everyday political discussions in tea stalls and coffee corners. These segments aim to break down key issues through candid, fast-paced exchanges between anchors and reporters, tailored to regional sensibilities.
For viewers seeking deeper insights, the weekend docuseries ‘Reporters Project’ takes a longer view, with correspondents travelling across constituencies to map voter concerns and political shifts on the ground.
“Elections are about people, their aspirations, identities and the issues that matter to them, and every state tells a different story,” said CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar. He added that the initiative focuses on understanding “the sentiment on the ground and what’s driving voter choices”.
Echoing the emphasis on credibility, Network18 CEO – English and business news Smriti Mehra said the network aims to combine on-ground reporting with data-led insights to deliver clear and timely coverage as the elections unfold.
With a mix of data, culture and grassroots reporting, CNN-News18 is positioning Battle for the States as a comprehensive window into one of India’s most closely watched electoral cycles, where every vote carries a story waiting to be told.
