Arnab Goswami And Navika Kumar Engage In Media Trials: Intervenors in Sudarshan TV Case Tells Apex Court
(Judicial Quest News Network)
An intervention Application is filed in Supreme Court by author and researcher Dr.Kota Neelima, in Sudarsha TV case seeking to delineate the aspect of media trials as a facet of hate speechwhich is conducted by TV anchors in news debates via Electronic Media.
The Application filed through Advocate Sunil Fernandes has utilized the services of rate the Debate, an independent research platform, which has evaluated the content of the news coverage and debates undertaken by journalists Arnab Goswami and Navika Kumar.
As per the application, the study shows that 65% of the total debates conducted by Mr. Arnab Goswami from 31.07.2020 to 15.09.2020, and 69% of the total Debates conducted by Ms. Navika Kumar from 16.06.2020 to 06.10.2020 were on a singular topic i.e. Sushant Singh Rajput Death Case.
The IA states that Not only an overwhelming and inordinate amount of time is devoted to a single topic, the manner, tone, tenor and content of the ‘News Coverage’ and ‘TV Debate’ was highly toxic, polarised and filled with innuendos, salacious gossips, wild allegations and character assassinations. (Application Filed in supreme Court)
It is also submitted that the modus operandi employed by these TV anchors while covering the case;
Firstly, they deliberately create a hypothesis or a false construct/ premise, for example, Sushant Singh Rajput was murdered and did not commit suicide.
They will then insinuate that a top politician or a powerful personality is behind the “cover-up”.
Once this hypothesis and insinuation/innuendo is established, the viewer will be bombarded with a relentless barrage of “TV Debates”, “Hashtags”, “Evidences” and “Conspiracy Theories” which would convince the viewer of the hypothesis even before the prosecuting agency has completed its investigation and filed its charge-sheet.
In the Sushant Singh Rajput Death case, the recent AIIMS Report states that it was a case of Suicide and not a case of Homicide. The prosecuting agency too has not filed any final report / charge-sheet, at the conclusion of the investigation claiming it to be a case of homicide and not suicide. However, certain TV Anchors have consistently created a false narrative through ‘Media Trial’ influencing the public opinion towards their covert objective.
Media Trials is another facet of Hate Speech. Media Trials can take place for a variety of reasons, for instance, it can be in order to grab a higher share of Television Rating Points (TRPs) or it can be something more sinister whereby certain private television channels act as proxy propaganda machines for the Central Government.
Earlier Sudarshan TV was served a show cause notice by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to appear fro a personal hearing and show how their show on “USPC Jihad” did not violate the Programme Code under the Cable Television Network (Regulation)Act, 1995.
A formal decision from the Centre is awaited and the case is set to be taken up by the Supreme Court thereafter.
