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Friday, October 12, 2012

Delhi High Court’s proposed Guidelines for Media Reporting on children  

Mrinal Chatterjee


Delhi High Court in WP(Civil) No 787 of 2012 in Ananta Kumar Asthana Vs Union of India & others has approved Media Guidelines for children.
Media coverage on matters relating to children may have long term consequences on their overall development (physical, mental, psychological, emotional, moral, social, economic etc.) life and dignity, and lack of care by Media in this regard may entail real risk of children facing harm, stigma, disqualification, retribution etc. The privacy, dignity, physical and emotional development of children is of the utmost importance, which are to be preserved and protected at all times, while reporting/ broadcasting/ publication of news/programs/documentaries etc on and for children.

The Guidelines mentioned below are proposed in the backdrop of the existing legal framework to secure and protect the rights of children and set out the minimum parameters of responsibility for Media.

‘Child’ or ‘Children’ shall mean a person(s) who has /have not completed 18 years of age. ‘Media’ shall include but not be limited to any newspaper, magazine, news-sheet or electronic media.

Involvement of children in news/programs/documentaries etc must evidently be editorially justified from a child rights’ perspective.

Media shall ensure that child victims of rape, other sexual offences, trafficking, drug/substance abuse, elopement, organized crimes, children used in armed conflicts, children in conflict with law and child witnesses etc. are automatically guaranteed anonymity for life.

Media must ensure that due consideration is given to a child’s right to privacy and to prevent the child from being exposed to anxiety, distress, trauma, social stigma, risk to life & safety and further suffering in relation to reporting/ broadcasting/ publication of news/ programs/ documentaries etc on and for children.

Media shall ensure that a child’s identity is not revealed in any manner, including but not limited to, disclosure of personal information, photograph, school/ institution/ locality and information of the family including their residential/ official address.

Media shall not sensationalise issues or stories, especially those relating to children and should be conscious of the pernicious consequences of disclosing/ highlighting information in a sensational form and the harm it may cause to children.

While interviewing a child the Media should be governed by the following principles.

a) That the interview is in the child’s best interest

b) That the interview does not aggravate the child’s situation further.

c) That the manner and content of the interview doesn’t affect/interfere with the child’s right to privacy.

d) That if the interview is in the child’s best interest, the same shall be done under supervision and consent of the child’s parent(s) or legal guardian, or in the alternative, the competent authorities for the child.

e) That while interviewing a child, his/her consent may be obtained, depending upon his/her age and maturity.

f) Frequent interviewing of a child must be avoided.

g) The child’s refusal to be interviewed must be honoured.

h) Before interviewing the child he/she must be duly informed about the purpose and manner of the interview.

i) The child and/or his/her parents/guardian or any person having control over him/her shall not be coerced or enticed in any manner including financial or other inducement to secure consent for the interview.

Media must verify the credentials and authority of individuals/ organizations whose consent is sought on behalf of the child.

Media shall not give any financial or other inducement to the child or parent / guardian or others in relation to reporting/ broadcasting/ publication of news/ programs/documentaries etc. on and for children.

Media must balance its responsibility to protect children from unsuitable content with the right to freedom of expression and the right to know.

To protect the identity of the child media shall ensure that any visual showing the face of the child must be completely morphed in cases where privacy/anonymity is required.

Media shall orient/sensitize its editorial personnels, including editors/ editorial team / reporters / correspondents / producers / photographers etc. about laws, rules, regulations and guidelines related to reporting / broadcasting / publication of news/ programs / documentaries etc. on and for children.

The media shall proactively promote the children’s right to information and freedom of expression.

The compliance with the applicable laws, rules, regulations and guidelines related to reporting/ broadcasting/ publication of news/ programes/ documentaries etc. on and for children shall be monitored by a) the self regulatory bodies, b) the regulatory mechanisms of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, such as Electronic media Monitoring Centre (EMMC) and Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC), Press Council of India through their respective procedures.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

KUDUMBASREE AGITATION FAILS IN MARKET MEDIA MANAGEMENT MANTHRAS


KUDUMBASREE AGITATION FAILS IN MARKET MEDIA MANAGEMENT MANTHRAS

Ratheesh Kaliyadan
Kerala Government secretariat witnessed the powerful women agitation by Kudumbasree Mission activists. The week long agitation will be written as one of the prominent agitation lead by women in Kerala. It was a round clock dharna attended by over 2,000 women. The strike became the embodiment of womenfolk from all over Kerala.
CPI(M) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan visits striking Kudumbasree workers in front of the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. Photo: S. Mahinsha. Courtesy The Hindu.
Kudumbasree is a government sponsored self help group to enhance women empowerment in Kerala. Launched by the Govt. of Kerala in 1998 for wiping out poverty through community action under the guidances of Local Self Governments. Kudumbasree is one of the largest women empowering project in the country. The mission has 37 lakhs members who covers more than 50% of the households in Kerala. Women who belong to all political and religious affiliation join in Kudumbasree mission.
The immediate provocation behind the agitation was the government’s ignorance of the mission in allocating funds and the central and state government’s initiation to support Janasree Mission, a counterpart of Kudumbasree but organized privately by the India National Congress leader Mr. Hassan as the chairman. The political affiliation of this new organization saved a lot in grabbing government funds. The major motto for the indefinite strike is the withdrawal of Rs 14-crore fund sanctioned to the Congress-sponsored Janasree Mission under a centrally sponsored scheme. The workers, who began the strike in front of the Secretariat at Thiruvananthapuram on October 2.
The strike called off yesterday after they got assurance from the authority that Kudumbasree would be made the nodal agency for the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana. Home minister Thiruvanchor Radhakrishnan and panchayat minister M K Muneer held discussions with Left leaders.Though the Kudumbasree Action Council has been demanding the withdrawal of the fund, the government said that Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar had sought an explanation on the allocation to Janasree. The government said it was waiting for the Centre's decision, and promised to act on its basis. Former minister Thomas Issac  and LDF convener Vaikkom Viswan led the Left delegation in the talks.
The matter of discussion in our  forum is the treatment style of the agitation by regional and national media. Knowingly or unknowingly most of the popular media in Kerala ignored the strike by providing small spaces in inner pages. Deshabhimani, the mouth organ of CPI(M)  is the only prominent Malayalam daily made the victory of women agitation as the lead story. Janayugam of CPI also ignored the story not providing front page space. The most interesting fact is the chairman of the strike supporting group is C.Divakaran, former minister and CPI leader.
The national media including The Hindu, which gives more space and sympathy towards women issues did not cover it with its emphasis. Even in the Thiruvananthapuram edition, a photo is not appeared in the front page. The news channels were not behind the agitators to copy the feel of Kerala women agitators.
Why do our media shift concentration from genuine issues? If a government is ready to sanction 14 crore rupees to a private agency ignoring the government organization will not be a matter of attention to media? To ignore such issues and indirectly support private ventures, which news value hesitate the newsmen to cover the item! Instead of pointing out these issues, our media strive behind silly matters and make big shots. Real issues are sidelined behind sensational reality shows sponsored by politicians and celebrities as the age old yellow journalists flew behind such comics. Sensational news makers are looking forward for corporate and government advertisements. The busy business policies rule out the consumers’ right to know reality and to be informed properly. This is not an old man’s etiquette on the contemporary journalists but a crucial ethical concern where traditional news values are vanishing and market decides what to be informed and thought.