Page 5 - Media

Newsclick row: Order remanding Purkayastha in police custody under HC radar

A trial court's order remanding NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and human resources department head Amit Chakravarty in police custody in a case lodged under anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) Friday came under scanner in the Delhi High Court which said there appeared to be something missing as the order was apparently passed without hearing their counsel. Purkayastha and Chakravarty, who were arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police on October 3 and are in police custody, rushed to the high court challenging their arrest and sought immediate release as an interim relief. However, Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said such a relief cannot be granted at this stage as the court has to also hear the counsel for police, and listed the matter for further hearing on October 9 as the first case. The only difficulty is that the allegations don't seem to be of such nature that you can be released immediately, the high court said. Besides their arrest, the duo

China seeks to control Pak media, develops web of int'l ops: US report

China has developed a web of international operations to have a say over media narratives and seeks to gain significant control over the Pakistani media, an official US report has said. In addition to working closely with Russia in the information space, China has attempted to enlist other close partners to counter unfavourable narratives, the State Department said in a report released here last week. Prominent among them is Pakistan, it said. With Pakistan, Beijing has sought to deepen cooperation on combating disinformation', including under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Media Forum, said the report. Beijing and Islamabad use the Media Forum to address what they view as propaganda and malicious disinformation and have launched initiatives like the CPEC Rapid Response Information Network and, most recently, pledged to launch the China-Pakistan Media Corridor (CPMC), it said. According to the State Department report in 2021, China sought to negotiate significant contr

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NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha, HR head sent to 7-day police custody

NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and HR head Amit Chakravarty, arrested in a case filed under the anti-terror law UAPA following allegations the portal received money for pro-China propaganda, were sent to seven days of police remand, officials said on Wednesday. Police on Tuesday searched for more than 30 locations, questioned several journalists in connection with the case and arrested Purkayastha and Chakravarty. A senior officer said both were produced before a court which remanded them in police custody. Police sealed NewsClick's office in Delhi on Tuesday. Officials earlier said 46 "suspects" were questioned and digital devices, including laptops and mobile phones, and documents were taken away for examination. The searches began in the morning and were concentrated in the Delhi-NCR. Among those questioned were journalists Urmilesh, Aunindyo Chakravarty, Abhisar Sharma, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta as well as historian Sohail Hashmi, satirist Sanjay Rajoura and D Raghunandan o

Newsclick Row: Court sends notice to police on plea for copy of FIR

A city court on Wednesday issued notice to the Delhi police on a plea filed by NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and HR head Amit Chakravarty, arrested in a case lodged under anti-terror law UAPA following allegations about the news portal having received money for pro-China propaganda, seeking a copy of the FIR. Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur directed police to file its response by tomorrow when the court will hear arguments on the application. The court, meanwhile, agreed to hand over a copy of the remand application, filed by police, to Advocate Arshdeep Singh Khurana, the counsel for the accused. Khurana requested the court for the copy of the FIR so he could move the Delhi High Court for legal remedies available to the accused. The court also allowed the counsel to meet the accused for one hour daily during the remand period. The judge posted the matter for tomorrow, after the city police submitted its Special Public Prosecutor was not present to argue the ...

Police gave us no FIR, neither revealed offences: NewsClick on office raids

NewsClick on Wednesday issued a statement on Delhi Police raids at its premises claiming it has not been provided a copy of FIR, or informed about the offences people associated with it have been charged with. "Yesterday, raids were carried out by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police at various locations including Newsclick's offices, residences of journalists and employees. We have not been provided with a copy of the FIR, or informed about the exact particulars of the offences with which we have been charged," NewsClick said in a statement. The online news portal claimed that police seized electronic devices from its premises and houses of employees without any due process such as the provision of seizure memos, hash values of the seized data, or even copies of the data. "Newsclick's office has also been sealed in a blatant attempt at preventing us from continuing our reporting," the statement read. "We strongly condemn these actions of a Government that refuses to respect ...

Seen reports of Indian media outlet's ties with China: US on NewClick raid

The United States has seen reports about the alleged ties of an Indian media outlet, which was raided by officials a day earlier, with China but cannot comment on the veracity of the claims, an official said. We have seen reports about this outlet's ties to the People's Republic of China, "but we can't comment yet on the veracity of those claims", State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters at a news conference here. Separately, of course though, the US government strongly supports the robust role of the media globally, including social media, in a vibrant and free democracy, he said. We raise concerns on these matters with the Indian government, with countries around the world, through our diplomatic engagements that are at the core of our bilateral relationship. We have urged the Indian government and have done so not just with India, but other countries as well, about the importance of respecting the human rights of journalists, including freedom of expression both

Delhi Police seal office of NewsClick after raids in investigation

The Delhi Police has sealed the office of news portal NewsClick in connection with its probe into a case filed under the anti-terror law UAPA following allegations that it received money for pro-China propaganda. The Delhi Police's Special Cell searched 30 locations connected with the news portal and its journalists on Tuesday. The police said no one has so far been arrested during the searches concentrated in Delhi-NCR. Founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha was taken to the portal's south Delhi office where a forensic team was present. Among those questioned were journalists Urmilesh, Aunindyo Chakravarty, Abhisar Sharma, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta as well as historian Sohail Hashmi. The police posed a list of 25 questions to them relating to various issues, including their foreign travels, protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act at Delhi's Shaheen Bagh as well as the farmers' agitation, sources said.

Robust mechanism in place for regulating media channels: Centre to SC

Asserting that there is no statutory vacuum, the central government has told the Supreme Court there exists a robust mechanism for regulation of content of private television channels. In an affidavit filed before the top court, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has said the Union of India has always protected journalistic freedom and encouraged the policy of promoting self-restraint and self-regulation in the field of journalism. The government said this was meant to ensure that media houses and journalists acknowledge their vital role and responsibilities towards the society and elevate their standards of practice though self-devised methods. This, it said, ensures there is minimum interference by government authorities in the functioning of media. It is only in cases involving national security that the government's statutory mechanism kicks in, the affidavit said. "There is no statutory vacuum, in so far as regulation of the broadcast of irresponsible reporting and

How journalists from across globe worked as one family at G20 media centre

For many journalists from across the world who were here to cover the G20 Summit, sharing working space at the International Media Centre from September 8-10 made them experience the spirt of "one family". On these three days, scribes and camerapersons from Italy to Singapore and Turkiye to Brazil worked from the facility at the newly built Bharat Mandapam -- the summit's venue. In between work, they chatted over cups of coffee and Indian meals, and also learned about cultures of different countries from each other. "It's interesting here to see that journalists who come from different countries and different cultures work in a similar way," Michael Hoefele, who works with German news agency dts, said on September 10. The International Media Centre, a temporary working space, was spread over two floors in Hall No. 5 of the sprawling Bharat Mandapam complex. G20 logos were splashed across huge decorative panels put up in the hall on the theme of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' -- 'One Eart

Byron Allen submits $10 billion bid for ABC, other Disney networks

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INDIA bloc parties to boycott debate shows of these 14 news anchors

The opposition parties have repeatedly accused a section of the media of favouring the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in news coverage and during debates

SC asks MHA to frame guidelines for police briefings to media in trials

"It should be ensured that the disclosure doesn't result in a media trial so as to allow pre-determination of the guilt of the accused," the Court said

Prepare manual on media briefings by police about criminal cases: SC to MHA

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to prepare a comprehensive manual on media briefings by police personnel about criminal cases. Observing that biased reporting gives rise to public suspicion that the person has committed an offence, a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said media reports can also violate the privacy of a victim. The top court also directed DGPs of all states to submit suggestions in a month to MHA on preparing manual for media briefings by police in criminal cases. "All DGPs, in a month, should communicate to Ministry of Home Affairs, their suggestions for guidelines...NHRC's suggestions may also be taken," the bench said. The top court was hearing a plea regarding modalities followed by police in conducting media briefings where probe is in progress.

Catalyst of Transformation: Rahul Darwante's Journey to Redefining Media Dynamics

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FIR filed Editors Guild members for report on media coverage: Manipur CM

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday said that a police case has been filed on the basis of a complaint against the president and three members of the Editors Guild of India (EGI) for a report critiquing media coverage out of Manipur, and accused them of trying to provoke clashes in the state. The Editors Guild in a report published Saturday had slammed the internet ban in the state as being detrimental to media reportage, criticised what it termed as one-sided reporting by some media outlets and claimed there were indications that the state leadership had turned partisan during the conflict period. The Press Club of India joined a number of bodies in condemning the filing of the case against the EGI fact finding team and termed it as "a strong arm tactic by the state government which amounts to intimidation of the apex media body of the country". Singh claimed at a press conference here that at a time when many have been killed and left homeless, the EGI published a ...

Popular game show host Bob Barker passes away at 99, says publicist

A publicist says popular game show host Bob Barker, a household name for a half-century as host of Truth or Consequences and The Price Is Right, has died at his home in Los Angeles. Barker was 99. Barker also a longtime animal rights activist died Saturday morning, according to publicist Roger Neal. I am so proud of the trailblazing work Barker and I did together to expose the cruelty to animals in the entertainment industry and including working to improve the plight of abused and exploited animals in the United States and internationally, said Nancy Burnet, his longtime friend and caretaker, in a statement. Barker retired in June 2007, telling his studio audience: I thank you, thank you, thank you for inviting me into your home for more than 50 years. Barker was working in radio in 1956 when producer Ralph Edwards invited him to audition as the new host of "Truth or Consequences," a game show in which audience members had to do wacky stunts the "consequence" if they failed to

Editors Guild voice concern over blocking of Kashmir-based news website

The Editors Guild of India and other media bodies on Thursday voiced concern over the blocking of the website and the de-activation of social media accounts of Srinagar-based news website Kashmir Walla. The Guild is disturbed by the censorship measures undertaken by the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology without following due processes and against the principles of natural justice, the Editors Guild of India said in a statement here. A joint statement issued by the Press Club of India, Press Association, Indian Women Press Corps, Delhi Union of Journalists and the Working News Cameraman Association demanded immediate restoration of the Kashmir Walla and Gaon Savera websites. According to the joint statement, "Apparently, no reason was given for taking such drastic action either to the owners of the websites or the public. The case seems to have not been referred to any Court either. This move raises serious questions about the state of press freedom and freedom

Over 750 eminent citizens come out in support of NewsClick amid allegations

More than 750 eminent citizens, including historian Romila Thapar, economist Jean Dreze and actor Naseeruddin Shah, on Wednesday came out in support of a news website which is alleged to have received dubious funds to spread Chinese propaganda. The allegation was levelled against NewsClick following a report in the New York Times. Expressing solidarity with NewsClick, the group of more than 750 citizens said in a statement, "The hounding of NewsClick is an attack on the freedom of expression enshrined in our Constitution." "It is an attack on the conscientious role of independent journalism in a democracy to inform its readers about the government's failings and to hold the government accountable," said the statement signed by Zoya Hasan, Jayati Ghosh, Harsh Mander, N Ram, Bezwada Wilson, Aruna Roy, Colin Gonsalves, Prashant Bhushan, Anand Patwardhan and Ratna Pathak Shah among others. It said The New York Times report "does not allege any violation of the law by NewsClick". The .

Adani Group agrees to buy remaining stake in Quintillion Business Media

Quint Digital Media is the parent group of Quintillion Business Media. Adani Group already has a 49% stake in Quintillion Business Media.