New Delhi: News Broadcasters Federation (NBF) expresses deep concern and dismay over the continued harassment of the journalists, executives, and promoters, journalists of our member channel – OTV, for their legitimate, responsible reporting of widespread corruption in the public interest. OTV, its promoters, and employees are facing at least 20 cases including criminal charges for performing their professional duty.
NBF is apprised of the following developments: –
On November 10, 2020, Randhir Singh (84 years old) requested to Union Home Minister and the Central for protection from the continued harassment and police excess against his family and employees at the OTV Channel’s studio in Sarua, Khorda, in the name of an investigation into the land issue.
Until now, at least five OTV employees have been arrested of which two were coerced into resigning while in custody.
The NBF believes that media freedom and liberty that has been ingrained in our founding principles of The Constitution of India, which is being bludgeoned currently in Odisha. News Broadcasters as the fourth pillar of democracy act as a mirror to the misdoings of authorities, by enhancing the voice of the common citizens.
We, at NBF, calls upon to refrain from threatening and pressurizing the employees to quit; And urgently seek the intervention of the Government of India, and authorities in Odisha to immediately curtail such attempts against a journalist(s) and executives of media as it acts as a threat to democracy.
The News Broadcasters Federation strongly advocates for an independent and neutral agency at the national level to investigate any allegations of professional misconduct by journalists, owners, and executives of media companies, in the light of the current trend of actions by several State Government’s against the news broadcasters doing a fair and legitimate criticism of the flaws of the administration in the public interest.
We, at News Broadcasters Federation (NBF), are the most democratic and the largest congregation of national as well as regional news broadcasters from almost all languages and parts of the country, striving for the best interest – editorial and business – of news broadcasters
The News Broadcasters Federation counts Republic Bharat, Republic TV, Digvijay, DY365 News, First India Rajasthan, Gulistan News, IBC24, India News, JK 24X7, Living India News, News Live, News Nation, NewsX, North East Live, Odisha TV, Prag News, MH One News, PuthiyaThalaimurai TV, Newsfirst Kannada, S Newz, TV5, and Twenty Four News among its members.
