News Broadcasting
NBF backs supreme court observation on misused sedition laws
KOLKATA: The News Broadcasters Federation has supported the concern, as expressed by the Supreme Court, over rampant misuse of antiquated sedition laws in India to gag and muzzle the media from dissemination constructive criticism of authorities in power in public interest.
“We are of the view that the ambit and parameters of the provisions of Sections 124A, 153A and 505 of the Indian Penal Code 1860 would require interpretation, particularly in the context of the right of the electronic and print media to communicate news, information and the rights, even those that may be critical of the prevailing regime in any part of the nation,” a three-judge bench comprising of justices Dr. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, L. Nageswara Rao, and S. Ravindra Bhat, said in their order delivered on Monday.
The bench was hearing petitioners TV5 and ABN, who had challenged the first information report registered against broadcasters of news and views, critical of the state government of Andhra Pradesh and its chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. The order restrained the state government of Andhra Pradesh from taking any coercive actions against the two news channels, till the next date of hearing.
“The News Broadcasters Federation strongly stands and appreciates TV5, our respected member who have taken (up) this issue, of freedom of speech and expression,” NBF stated.
The NBF communication further said, “We believe that fair and honest criticism is the backbone of democracy. NBF reiterates and urges the government of India to immediately set-up an independent, neutral national agency to investigate into any allegations of professional misconduct by journalists, executives, and owners of news media companies, in order to prevent selective harassment by the state authority and to ensure the freedom of the press.”
News Broadcasting
Times Network to air JVC Exit Poll across 5 regions on April 29
Four-hour broadcast spans states and Puducherry with data-led analysis
MUMBAI: Times Network is set to roll out what it calls one of its most expansive election programming efforts yet, culminating in the JVC Exit Poll on 29 April, with a multi-hour broadcast spanning key poll-bound regions.
The exit poll will air across Times Now and Times Now Navbharat, beginning at 5pm and 4pm respectively. Co-powered by Vedanta and Jindal Stainless, the programming aims to combine on-ground reportage with data-driven projections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
The network has deployed over 50 journalists across these regions, gathering voter sentiment and local insights in the run-up to polling. The effort builds on its ongoing election formats such as Election Yatra and Election Premier League, which have tracked campaign narratives and community-level issues.
In parallel, Times Now Navbharat has focused on constituency-level reporting in West Bengal through its Jan Gan ka Mann series, capturing voter opinions across diverse segments.
The coverage has also featured interviews with prominent political leaders. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala and V D Satheesan have appeared on the network’s election specials. From Tamil Nadu, voices including deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran, BJP leader K Annamalai and NTK’s Seeman have also featured in discussions.
On the day of the exit poll, the network’s primetime anchors, including Navika Kumar, Zakka Jacob and Sumit Awasthi, will lead the coverage. They will be joined by a panel of political analysts, psephologists and senior journalists offering real-time insights and interpretation of trends.
The programming will integrate grassroots reportage with analytics from the JVC Exit Poll, aiming to give viewers an early sense of electoral outcomes ahead of the official results on 4 May.
With its combined English and Hindi broadcast reach, Times Network is positioning this effort as a comprehensive look at voter sentiment, blending field reporting, data and debate to decode what could lie ahead when the final mandate is revealed.
