A Congress delegation on Wednesday appeared before the News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) to request the TV regulatory panel for issuing an advisory and lay down a code of conduct to “curb the sensationalist, slanderous and toxic nature of televised media debates.”
The move comes after Congress spokesperson Rajiv Tyagi died minutes after a TV debate last week.
The delegation of Rajya Sabha MP Abhishek Singhvi and party spokespersons, Jaiveer Shergill and Pranav Jha, approached the NBSA — headed by former Supreme Court judge A.K. Sikri — to argue that “media houses, journalists, anchors and spokespersons must be held accountable for their actions and conduct.”
Mr. Singhvi said the NBSA guidelines, issued on December 13, 2012, had put an obligation on all media houses to ensure that their programmes do not become a platform to spread acrimony.
There is a need for adherence to the code of conduct and institutional reform in India with respect to holding of TV debates, the Congress said.
“We have specifically argued before the NBSA to take stern action against channels promoting acrimony on their platforms and also, clarify that mudslinging, name calling, shouting and provoking are strictly prohibited. Time has come to lockdown verbal bloodsport arena presented in nature of toxic TV debates,” Mr. Shergill told The Hindu.
