Peer jury for news broadcasters

The News Broadcasters Association (NBA), an association of private news and current affairs broadcasters in India, has announced the constitution of a “News Broadcasting Standards (Disputes Redressal) Authority” to enforce NBA’s Code of Ethics & Broadcasting Standards.

Playing regulator NBA constitutes News Broadcasting Standards Authority Nine-member jury to exercise control over the redressal authority First attempt by news channels at self-regulation Move expected to keep government interference in media at bay

NBA has committed to the government that it will put in place a Code of Ethics & Broadcasting Standards that will be followed by its members and a News Broadcasting Standards Disputes Redressal Authority to enforce the code.

The nine-member redressal authority will be chaired by Justice J.S. Verma, former Chief Justice of India and former Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission.

Says G. Krishnan, President, NBA, and CEO, TV Today Network (a sister concern of this publication): “The NBA believes that it falls upon the journalistic profession to evolve institutional checks and safeguards, specific to the electronic media, that can define the path that will conform to the highest standards of rectitude and journalistic ethics and guide the media in the discharge of its solemn constitutional duty.”

—Shamni Pande