Two Malalayalam TV news channels that were handed a 48 hour broadcasting ban by the Centre for their alleged “biased” coverage of the Delhi were back on air within six hours.
On Friday, Asianet, the largest news channel and MediaOne were barred for 48 hours by the ministry which alleged that their coverage of the recent Delhi riots had been biased, critical of the Delhi police and could have incited violence. While Asianet News came back on air around 1.30 am on Saturday, MediaOne too resumed transmission shortly after dawn.
Asianet News is owned by Jupiter capital, a financial services company that was established by BJP Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar. MediaOne is owned by Madhayamam Publications, a media group that also has members from the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind in Kerala.
The order against Asianet News also accused the station of being sympathetic to a “particular community,” and highlighted a report by P. R. Sunil, a reporter at the network, which claimed that Delhi police merely watched while rioters burned mosques and attacked bystanders, asking their religion. The order also said the network improperly alleged that the central government did not act to control the riots.
Both channels contested the bans before they were put into effect, according to the orders. The ban withdrawals came even the two channels were planning to fight the ban. MediaOne TV editor-in-chief C. L. Thomas said the organization will legally challenge the government’s order in a statement. Asianet News editor-in-chief M.G. Radhakrishnan told Indialegal that the withdrawal orders came even as the channel’s board of directors were contemplating ways to contest it.
“This is nothing but an order to stop free and fair journalism. MediaOne will fight against this unprecedented and undemocratic action imposed by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry,” a statement by the channel’s editor CL Thomas stated.
The I&B ministry in its orders had not alleged that either of the channels had indulged in fake reporting. Instead, it said that their reporting could have ‘enhanced communal disharmony’. While Asianet was blamed of siding with one community, MediaOne was accused of being critical of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Delhi police. Both channels were accused of siding with one community and inciting passions.