PTI

New Delhi, Dec 12: A Parliamentary Committee has favoured statutory regulations for the media as it voiced concern over the live telecast of the 60-hour "Operation Black Tornado" by the security forces in the wake of the Mumbai terror strikes.

"The Committee apprehends that the live footage shown by TV channels to the viewers, could also have been used as free intelligence input by the perpetrators sitting far away from the place of incident who allegedly guided the attackers," it said.

The Rajya Sabha Committee on Petitions, headed by senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu, in its report presented in the House today said the live feed of commandos being air dropped "directly endangers" the success of operations and safety of hostages as well as security forces.

"The Committee expects the media to treat information of sensitive nature carefully and endeavour to ensure that the interest of nation and lives of security forces and hostages in such type of operations is not jeopardised by live telecasting," it said.

At the same time, it noted that the live coverage was partially restricted later because of "some good sense prevailing with suitable advisories". Needless to mention, self-regulation by media otherwise was not in place, it said.

Self-regulation is an ideal situation but it may not be effective to regulate the media particularly in the scenario of growing competition among the channels for supremacy in the business of ratings, it said.

"The Committee is, therefore, in favour of having statutory regulations in place covering the print and electronic media, in the larger interest of the society, on the model of the Press Council of India vested with more powers," it said.