NEW DELHI: The Government has issued a 10-point directive to Doordarshan and All India Radio to censor coverage of militant-related activity.

These 10 points relate to items which should be shut out altogether. But two guidelines have been issued governing news items which should not be reported except when the investigating agency allows such coverage as would help the investigation.

The latest set of instructions comes close on the heels of a minor storm within Doordarshan over coverage of the Bofors debate in Parliament.

The circular issued on May 8 states A set of Dos and Don’ts in respect of publicity to incidents of hostage-taking have been formulated by the government. Steps may be taken to ensure a strict adherence to them while formulating news bulletins. It would be advisable to confine news reporting in such cases to the essential facts leaving out the details of the process of investigation. In particular there should not be any reporting on ongoing negotiations between kidnappers and the government

What are the matters which must not be reported at all? Doordarshan and All India Radio cannot broadcast any groups statement claiming responsibility for a kidnapping details of concessions made by the Government deadlines set by kidnappers any claims or arguments justifying the kidnapping or details of operations undertaken by the Government for the rescue effort

Also to be blacked out are counter-offers made by the Government to secure the release of the hostages the identity of the negotiators the demands made by kidnappers the progress in identifying the hideout of the kidnappers and the identity of investigators.

There are two items which can be reported but only after the investigating agency has given the go-ahead -photographs of the hostages in custody and human interest stories relating to hostages and their families

While it is known that the Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) issues regular guidelines for the official medias external services beamed abroad particularly to Pakistan this is the first time that the Government has issued guidelines on how to report hostage taking by militants

The instructions are likely to be resisted by the staff of Doordarshan and AIR particularly in Punjab and Kashmir as they are working under militant threats. Two senior government media personnel have lost their lives for refusing to submit to the diktats of the secessionists and another has been kidnapped

The electronic media staffers have already served notice that they will not be amenable to pressures from the Government.

On April 13 Doordarshan and AIR blacked out the future in Parliament on Bofors. It was only a week later when Doordarshan newsroom staffers threatened not to compile the news bulletin that Bofors coverage was put back on television.

While the official media have been issued instructions on kidnapping cases it is not quite clear how Doordarshan and All India Radio will react to one of their cadres being held hostage Mohan Lal Manchanda who was in charge of the Patiala AIR station was whisked away by the Babbar Khalsa on May 18. The organization has called for a halt to all Hindi programs beamed in Punjab. It has demanded that militants not be dubbed extremists terrorists and separatists but referred to as fighters for freedom.

If the demands are not met they have warned Manchanda will be killed.

Article extracted from this publication >> June 5, 1992