New Delhi: News Broadcasters Association (NBA) has strongly deplored the suggestion by Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi to “impose a complete ban on media advertisements – Television, Print and Online – by the Government and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) for a period of two years.”
The statement issued by Rajat Sharma, the President of News Broadcasters Association said, “at a time when media personnel, without fearing for their lives, are doing their national duty, by disseminating news on the pandemic, a statement like this from the Congress President is highly demoralizing.”
“On one hand there has been a slump in advertisement revenues of electronic media due to recession, on the other hand it is suffering from financial blows due to nationwide lockdown of all industries and businesses. Moreover, news channels are spending heavily on providing safety to their reporters and production staff. To suggest a “complete ban” on government and PSU advertisements is not only ill-timed, but highly arbitrary.”
“NBA calls upon Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi to withdraw her suggestion made to the prime minister about “complete ban” on media advertisements for two years in the interest of a healthy and free media” added the statement.
