The News Broadcasters Association (NBA) on Monday released an advisory for all its members, asking the editors to be particularly ‘sensitive’ while covering the events during and after the submission of the Srikrishna Committee Report on the Telangana statehood issue on December 31.
The Advisory pointed out that care should be taken to ensure that the telecast of all news stories related to the issue should not be sensational, inflammatory or provocative. The Advisory read, "The basic guideline to be adhered to is that all news relating to this subject should conform strictly to sub-serving the public interest of maintaining parochial and communal harmony, of eschewing any divisive or fissiparous tendencies and of preserving the secular ethos of our plural society," it said.
The self-regulatory body also asked the media houses to keep in mind that the information disseminated by them influences the formation of public opinion. It added that its members should adhere to the code of ethics and also follow the specific guidelines issued on a regular basis. Among the suggestions listed in the advisory, it suggested that its members should strictly adhere to the contents of the report, not broadcasting any footage of violence, agitation, self-immolation if any, and not showing any visuals relating to protests or celebrations in relation to the report.