Centre bans live coverage of anti-terror operations

NEW DELHI: Live coverage of terror operations will be restricted to a periodic briefing by authorities with visual coverage at and around the scene of crime banned.

A new clause has been added to the program code of the Cable Television Network Rules that says that no program should be carried in the cable service that "contains live coverage of anti-terrorist operation by security forces, wherein media coverage shall be restricted to periodic briefing by any officer designated by the appropriate government, till such operation concludes."

"Anti-terrorist operation" has been defined as such "operation undertaken to bring terrorists to justice, which includes all engagements involving justifiable use of force between security forces and terrorists." Violation of the program code can lead to being yanked off air for a period of time or permanent revocation of the broadcaster's license in accordance with the Cable Television Network (Amendment) Act.

Sources said that the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry is likely to notify the amendments in a day or two. The move to ban live coverage of terror operations came after the ministry of home affairs (MHA) expressed concern over the coverage of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that unwittingly gave terrorists a blow-by-blow account of the tactics employed by security forces.

In the uproar after 26/11 UPA government had drafted a law to ban such coverage but the attempt to bring the legislation was nixed by PM Manmohan Singh.

Incidentally the two recent militant attacks in J&K— in Kathua and Samba district — were also covered by TV channels prompting the ministry to issue an advisory against the coverage. The ministry asked TV channels not to focus on location, strength, movement, strategy and other related operations being followed by security forces engaging with the terrorists.

It advised all TV channels to safeguard innocent lives and ensure that no operations linked information reaches the terrorists and their handlers. However, advisories are not legally enforceable and is dependent on the discretion of the broadcaster for implementation.