Notice to I&B Ministry, NBA on allegations of paid news

NEW DELHI: The Allahabad High Court today issued notice to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) and the News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) in a petition relating to paid news.

Justice Devi Prasad Singh and Justice Ashok Pal Singh of the Lucknow bench said that in a democratic country while freedom of expression is a basic requirement, there are problems related to paid news and other vested news if there is no forum with the government for complaints to be presented by the public.

The court has asked the ministry as well as the media organisations to present their reply about social activist Dr Nutan Thakur’s complaint and the present grievance redressal mechanism for viewers against news channels, within four weeks.

Thakur had previously sent her complaint relating to news channels reports about the role of Raja Bhaiya in DSP Ziaul Haq murder being one-sided, but the NBSA had concluded that no impropriety was done in broadcasting of these news items. She then approached the High Court against this decision.