Need For Discipline In Indian News TV Channels

As a result, views are being publicized as news and very impolite and vituperative language are being used by the anchors, who seem to think that only such methods and sensation will get them popularity amongst the viewers. Most of the anchors have no expertise or domain knowledge in many fields except in muddy politics and it is sad to see them questioning even people with enormous experience in specialised fields like nuclear programmes, hydro carbon projects etc.

In the process, many TV channels are doing enormous damage by whipping up passion, providing misleading information and promoting animosity between various sections of the society.

Isolated incidents of rape and individual violence in one corner or the other in a country of 130 crore people are being projected as national and headlines news.  A few students agitating in colleges and universities are being shown as if the entire student community is agitating whereas the fact is more than 90% of the students are not involved in any agitational activities and are only interested in academic pursuits.

The more one would be controversial and capable of expressing extremist views, such persons are invited by the TV media to participate in the programmes.

Several information are being exaggerated and they are mixed with falsehood. For example, on 21st June, 2017, one English TV media said that there is anti Hindi agitation picking up in Karnataka. The fact is that a few people have made some anti Hindi observations which do not represent the view of cross section of people in Karnataka.

In the case of Gorkhaland agitation in West Bengal, repeatedly scenes are shown as if the entire Darjeeling and surrounding areas are burning. Similar scenes are also being shown in Kashmir. The sober elements are not invited to express their views and only the agitators and violent prone elements are given space.

There are thousands of scholars in India in various fields and they are conspicuous by absence in Indian TV media.

As the damage now being done by TV media to the fibre and fabric of India is reaching alarming proportions and are becoming disruptive in style and methods, it is very necessary that Government of India should constitute a regulatory board for TV media. This is a matter of extreme importance.

NS Venkataraman from Chennai