New Delhi: The information and broadcasting ministry has instructed public broadcaster Prasar Bharati to ensure that coverage by DD News and All India Radio does not betray “preferential” or “disproportionate” treatment to any particular political party.
The ministry has asked Prasar Bharati to set up a robust mechanism to monitor content aired by DD News, a day after the channel got a rap from the Election Commission (EC) over its preferential coverage of a political party while the Model Code of Conduct is in effect.
The EC had Tuesday asked DD News to provide a level-playing field for all political parties after the channel had said the BJP gets the most coverage across its network.
Sources in the government told ThePrint that the I&B ministry has now asked Prasar Bharati to “scrupulously” abide by the EC directives. While the EC directions are particularly aimed at DD News, all channels and networks of DD and All India Radio have been asked to abide by them.
“We have received it (the ministry’s instructions), and it is being examined to determine the necessary action to be taken,” Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati told ThePrint.
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DD News likely to set up a committee
Government sources told ThePrint that DD News is likely to set up a committee to monitor its content, so that it adheres to the EC directives.
“It (the panel) is needed to get a holistic picture of the content being aired by DD News and if it is giving a level-playing to all political parties and is being neutral in the coverage,” a source said.
The EC’s strictures to DD News came after the Congress complained to the poll watchdog that the BJP was misusing the state-owned broadcaster, after Modi’s ‘Main Bhi Chowkidar’ programme was broadcast on DD News, its YouTube channel and its social media handles.
This, however, is not the first time that DD or AIR has drawn criticism for airing biased news, or for giving preferential treatment to the political party of the day. Even during previous regimes, the state-owned broadcaster was accused of airing a one-sided narrative of the political party in power at the Centre.
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