New Delhi: The News Broadcasters Federation (NBF) strongly condemns the arm-twisting attempts of News Broadcasters Association (NBA) to bully BARC into taking action against Republic TV. The matter is before the courts and deliberations are on regarding the quashing of the FIR. In other words, the trial against Republic TV has not even begun. Republic TV has been the target of political malice by the Maharashtra government and Mumbai Police.
It is also important to note that senior officials of the India Today Group have been interrogated by the Enforcement Directorate. By this logic, should India Today also be suspended from IBF, as well as the ratings of India Today be suspended by BARC? Several other channels including GECs and channels in the Telugu genre are being investigated. Should the ratings of these GECs and channels of the Telugu genre also be suspended from IBF and from ratings? This kind of attempt at bullying BARC and IBF will not be tolerated.
“NBF has strong reasons and evidences to believe that channels, across genres has been indulging in such malpractices for several years now. Limiting the investigations to a limited time period and singling out news genre, or one specific channel for competitive reasons is undemocratic,” said R. Jai Krishna, Secretary-General, News Broadcasters Federation.
The News Broadcasters Federation will also move Court to stop this kind of unilateralism in the functioning of BARC and hopes that the management of BARC will use their wisdom and not succumb to corporate pressures in this manner, which will be patently illegal. NBF firmly stands its ground for the freedom of the press and the professional and business interests of news channels.
