The Editors Guild of India and PEN Delhi released statements on Thursday, 2 April, condemning the recent government PIL before the Supreme Court, which placed the blame on the media for causing panic among migrant workers leading to their mass movement in the wake of the 21-day nationwide lockdown to curtail the spread of the novel coronavirus.
In the PIL, the Centre sought a direction from the apex court that “no electronic/print media /web portal or social media shall print/publish or telecast anything without first ascertaining the true factual position from the separate mechanism provided by the central government.”
The Supreme Court in its ruling directed the media to “refer to and publish the official version about the developments.”
“We do not intend to interfere with the free discussion about the pandemic, but direct the media refer to and publish the official version about the developments.”Supreme Court
In their statement, the Editors Guild stated that it finds the advice of the apex court “gratuitous and unnecessary.”
“Blaming the media at the juncture can only undermine the current work being done by it under trying circumstances. Such changes can also obstruct in the process of dissemination of news during an unprecedented crisis facing the country,” the Guild’s statement noted.
The Guild’s statement also highlighted the FIR filed by the Uttar Pradesh Police against Editor-in-Chief of the the news publishing website The Wire and recognises that the police action at this stage “is an overreaction and act of intimidation.”
“Any such intimidation of the media or blaming the media for mass migration of workers will be counterproductive. Such actions will be tantamount to disabling the messenger.”The Editors Guild Statement on 2 April
The FIR and the Supreme Court direction also led to PEN Delhi releasing a statement on 2 April.
“In a democracy, cracking down on a pandemic requires the active support of a free press and must not include a crackdown on it. This is essential because fighting a pandemic requires a free media not just to inform the people likely to be affected by it but also to act as a watchdog for them, ever more important in a time of crisis.”PEN Delhi statement on 2 April
PM Modi’s Request For ‘Positive Stories’ During Pandemic
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, 23 March, said that the COVID-19 is a lifetime challenge, which needs to be tackled through new and innovative solutions, while speaking to representatives of television news channels through a video-conference.
The PM also requested the media houses to refrain from negative coverage, stating that the “the media should counter pessimism and panic through positive communication.”
“The tireless efforts of the reporters, camerapersons and technicians are a great service to the nation. The media should counter pessimism and panic through positive communication. COVID-19 is a lifetime challenge and it needs to be tackled through new and innovative solutions.”Prime Minister Narendra Modi
In response to the Prime Ministers request, PEN Delhi stated that “in the past, it is the media’s critical reporting on other disasters that has provided much needed information to the State to act.”
“This (positive stories on COVID-19) cannot be the only narrative and it is equally the media’s responsibility to give voice to the pain of the people, as well as to provide a critical perspective on the handling of crises.”PEN Delhi statement on 2 April
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Affairs on Thursday reported that the death toll due to COVID-19 in India has risen to 53, while the number of cases has gone up to 2,069.
More than 1,000,000 cases of the novel coronavirus have been officially detected worldwide since the pandemic emerged in China late last year, according to the John Hopkins Resource Centre on Friday.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)