Nithyananda video: Channel told to apologise to actress Ranjitha
New Delhi, Sep 3 (PTI): A self-regulatory body of television channels has asked a channel to apologise to actress Ranjitha Menon for showing "morphed" video clips which showed her in bad light with self-styled Godman Swami Nithyananda.
She had earlier filed a writ petition before the Karnataka High Court against the broadcast of certain video clips in a programme titled 'Nadanthadu Enna--Kutramum Pinnaniyum' (What happened--crime and background) telecast on March 21 last year by STAR Vijay.
The High Court had directed that the News Broadcasters Standards Authority (NBSA) should consider Ranjitha's representation but since the channel happened to be an entertainment channel, I&B ministry forwarded the complaint to the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) headed former Delhi High Court Chief Justice A P Shah.
Appearing before the BCCC, Ranjitha claimed the clippings were morphed and not authentic. She said the programme was in fact based on hearsay and unverified statement and most of the clippings make references to her.
The actress maintained that even without confirming her alleged role in the video, the programme not only used her name liberally but also continued to reinforce it in viewers by using her public film photos or videos repeatedly.
These photos were totally unconnected with such clips and repeatedly referred to her in relation with this offensive video, she said.
In its order, the BCCC said the Channel acknowledged that the clippings were morphed. It, however, argued that it only wanted to create awareness that viewers should not fall prey to non-validated reports and videos and wait till court examines and determines on the validity of such reports before forming opinions.
The BCCC found the explanation offered by the channel to be "completely untenable and unsatisfactory" and asked it to run scrolls in Tamil and English apologising to Menon every two hours for a period of seven days.
Firstly, it is clear that the channel did not exercise any caution whatsoever in telecasting the said episode without confirming the authenticity of the clippings, the BCCC said in its order.
Further, even the contention of the channel that the said programme was telecast for creating awareness amongst public is to be believed, then where was the need for constantly making references to the actress and also repeatedly showing her completely unconnected videos from public life?, it added.