Times Now Shuns Ethics to Play Tejpal Tapes at Prime Time

In a super exclusive, Times Now played the Tarun Tejpal sexual harassment tapes despite an in-camera trial.

Times Now, a leading English news channel, broadcast the tapes showing Tarun Tejpal allegedly sexually harassing a woman, as a ‘Super Exclusive’ on its prime time shows ‘India Upfront’ and ‘The Newshour’ on Monday, 28 May.

After coming under fire for allegedly breaching the law by airing material that was under trial, Times Now has taken down its online version of the article.

Tejpal, the former editor-in-chief of Tehelka magazine, allegedly sexually assaulted a colleague inside an elevator in 2013 during an event hosted by the news magazine in Goa. The matter is currently before a trial court.

The tapes were played repeatedly by Times Now, questioning the claims made by both the woman and Tejpal. The channel also went on to read the woman’s testimony of Tejpal’s alleged behaviour, and though it seemingly didn’t side with either party, some of the panelists on the channel went on to discredit the victim.

Through all of this, Times Now never acknowledged that the Tejpal case was an in-camera trial – a judicial process that bars the public and press from observing the court proceedings and reporting the details.

There are several questions in my mind after seeing the video. Why did she get into the lift the second time? If she did and knew that she is going to be assaulted then why didn't she scream? Alyque Padamsee, Ad Guru | #TejpalTapes

— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) May 28, 2018

Network of Women in Media up the Ante Against Times Now

Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI), an association working towards promoting gender equality, has written a letter to Times Now highlighting the gross negligence displayed by the channel in airing the show.

In a detailed response to to the channel, NWMI has written: “The show was advertised in a sensational and salacious manner. It apparently sought to shape public opinion in favour of the accused and conduct a media trial, in the manner in which it took on the role of an investigating and adjudicating authority by airing footage of what is actually evidence in the ongoing trial”.

The association has also slammed the channel for the ‘so-called analysis’ of the footage followed by a discussion which amounted to a media trial and has done more harm than good.

Twitter Calls Out Times Now

After Times Now’s ‘Super Exclusive’, journalists, lawyers and a lot of other Twitter users slammed Times Now for discussing the tapes while the matter was still in court.

The woman’s lawyer Rebecca John in a post said that not a single lawyer on the panel spoke of the illegality of playing the tapes of an ongoing rape trial.

What on earth is @TimesNow up to? What you’re doing is ILLEGAL. Pretending you are for the survivor, you are making her relive the horror. I know that you’re not in the business of journalism but this has touched a new low. STOP if you have any decency @NWM_India

— Kalpana Sharma (@kalpana1947) May 28, 2018

The depths channels will plumb to further corner survivors is unbelievable. @TimesNow isn’t the Tejpal case being heard? You cannot show the tapes in the garb of support for her. This is why survivors hesitate to come forward. @NWM_India

— Rituparna Chatterjee (@MasalaBai) May 28, 2018

Shame, @TimesNow is showing #TejpalTapes which is evidence, state property, NOT for public consumption. This is ILLEGAL, ISN'T helping the survivor! If anything it's helping accused build up narrative of 'media trial' etc while actually putting victim, tapes on media trial! STOP https://t.co/ligavkrqWL

— Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan) May 28, 2018

Twitteratis slammed the channel for its gross neglience.

When you think that @TimesNow cannot stoop lower, it goes and does exactly that. How is it running the tapes in the Tarun Tejpal Rape case when the matter is sub-judice. Building a narrative in support of a rape accused, #ShamelessTimesNow

— amrita madhukalya (@visually_kei) May 28, 2018

Every single day, @TimesNow takes it upon itself to lower the standards of Indian Journalism even further. And unfortunately, it succeeds. https://t.co/fcOCUJFNB5

— Raheel Khursheed (@Raheelk) May 28, 2018

Twitter users also hit out at Times Now for making the situation worse for a woman who dared to come out and speak against her perpetrator.

Holy shit. Please stop this cruel and thoughtless coverage, @TimesNow. This is EXACTLY why women don't come forward after sexual violence; because you make it unsafe and horrible for us to do so.

You think you're reporting on rape culture, but you ARE rape culture.

— Richa Kaul Padte (@hirishitalkies) May 28, 2018

@ Perverts at TimesNow.

If they supported the victim the title would read, "Exclusive: Footage shows Tejpal's rape defense is weak."

Instead it says: "Tejpal submits proof of his INNOCENCE." (sic)

Perverts and cheap perverts.

— Anoo Bhuyan (@AnooBhu) May 28, 2018

Times Now Finds a Supporter in Shefali Vaidya

Columnist of news website Swarajya, Shefali Vaidya, however, supported Times Now’s decision to air the “Tejpal tapes”.

It is revealing that the very same people who shout #FoE day in and out are the ones who are frothing at the mouth at the #TejpalTapes being aired by @TimesNow, when the rapist is 'one of their own', all talk of women's rights and justice goes flying out of the window!

— Shefali Vaidya (@ShefVaidya) May 29, 2018

(This article has been updated with the statement from Network of Women in Media, India.)