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Journalism of Courage
After the one-month ban it imposed on TV channel Live India, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting could now act against Delhi-based radio station Red FM. The radio station may be banned for a week on account of the controversial remarks made by one of its RJs regarding the Indian Idol winner Prashant Tamang.
The Ministry has recommended the ban for the “derogatory and community-specific remarks” made by the radio channel. The final decision on the ban, however, is subject to the outcome at the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) hearing on October 4. “The TDSAT has directed the ministry to continue with its proceedings but put on hold a final decision till the radio station’s plea is heard on October 4,” a senior official from the I&B Ministry said.
The ban, however, is likely to be upheld as the TDSAT does not usually deal with programme content. If banned, Red FM will become the first radio station to be banned by the ministry.
The Ministry had shot off a show-cause notice to the station after several complaints were made by members of the Gorkha community and the West Bengal Government over remarks by the RJ who goes by the name of ‘Khurafati’ Nitin. Tamang is a Darjeeling resident, and Nitin had joked that with Gorkhas winning such contests, Delhiites are worried about who would guard their streets.
The I&B notice had asked the FM station to explain why action should not initiated against it for airing racist remarks which amounted to a violation of the programme code of All India Radio. In its reply, the radio station had said that it had already tendered its apology for the inadvertent remarks about Tamang and the Gorkha community and that it would also take action against the RJ.
The ministry’s step comes within days of it banning Live India for a month for airing a fake sting operation. The decision was criticised by the broadcasting industry as excessive government intervention.
Incidentally, the Association of Radio Operators of India (AROI) on Monday set up an advisory committee to formulate a self-regulatory content code for private FM radio broadcasting in India. AORI had earlier said that it is fully sensitised to the Government’s concerns about privacy, decency, accuracy, national security and cultural values, and will form the code as per those perceptions.
