Mumbai, Dec 03: Amid concerns that the media
coverage of the Mumbai terror attack may have hampered the operation against terrorists, Maharashtra Government is considering restricting the news channels from showing live
such incidents.
"The Government is mulling the issue of putting some
restrictions on live coverage during an emergency situation,"
a senior official from Home Department told reporters.
The channels were, in fact, banned for some time on the
second day of the siege by police as they said it helped
terrorists, who were in touch with their masters through
phone, to keep a tab on the movement of the commandos who were
not only fighting the ultras but also rescuing people.
But the coverage was resumed after some time and
continued till the end of the operation.
Later, it was confirmed from phone intercepts between
the terrorists and their "masters across the border" that the
incessant live coverage of the operation aided masterminds of
the audacious terror strikes to coordinate their movements.
The matter came for discussion at a high level meeting
of the state Government held after the terror attacks in the
city. The suggestion has taken for consideration in order to
strengthen the security norms, he said.
"In fact, the suggestion to either ban or restrict
channels from displaying live images came from many
politicians," he said.
The security agencies involved in the operation have
also underlined the need for restraint on part of media,
especially the TV news channels, while covering such
operations, the source said.
Police sources also said that the coverage was
revealing many things like where the hostages were hiding, how
many people were inside the hotels and number of commandos
battling with terrorists.
"It also sparked rumours among people as there was a
competition between channels to give exclusive coverage first
without even confirming it from the concerned authorities,"
the official said.
Such a ban was also imposed on channels during the
2005 flood situation in the state.
It was mandatory for channels to label 'file' coverage
if they were showing old footage of floods.
Bureau Report