Kerala High Court Cautions Media Houses Against Publishing Unverified, One-Sided Stories To Boost TRP

The Kerala High Court has flagged the rising trend among media houses publishing 'mere allegations' leveled by a party against the other, without proper verification, only to increase their TRP (Television Rating Point).Stating that it is both their journalistic and moral responsibility to not publish one-sided story and to verify the news before telecast, Justice A. Badharudeen urged,"it is high time for the channels and medias to be more vigilant while giving news items in channels and medias in any form to have an enquiry with regard to the truth of the matter or to include the version of the other side (the person against whom the allegations are levelled) after hearing him, or somebody on his behalf capable of explaining the stand of the other side, then, the medias may report both versions to the viewers and readers to decide what actually is the truth behind the news."The observation was made while quashing a PoCSO case filed against the employees of Asianet news channel. The channel's Executive Editor Sindhu S and five other were booked for allegedly conspiring and disclosing the identity of a rape survivor in a telecast programme, for high TRP.Though the Court found that the intention of the channel was not to cause any injury to any public or to the survivor, it proceeded to notice the general "survival strategy" of some media houses, reporting "any news" which would give them a mileage.“In this endevour, mere allegations also being published, telecasted and circulated without having further investigation or enquiry with regard to the truth of the allegations and even without getting the words of the aggrieved or the person who is affected by the news, whose image being tarnished by the said news, which may be false. Thus, by publishing and telecasting mere allegations, channels and medias are boosting up the intention of the person/ persons who made the allegations with intention to tarnish the image of the person against whom such allegations are made," Court said.It urged, "The moral and elementary principles of journalism rather the legal principle of natural justice warrant to get versions of both sides and publish or telecast both versions to the domain of the readers and viewers to decide the truth of the matter independently by themselves, on evaluating both versions."Case No: Crl.MC 9008 of 2024Case Title: Sindhu S. and Others v State of KeralaCitation: 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 236Click Here To Read/ Download Order

Kerala High Court Cautions Media Houses Against Publishing Unverified, One-Sided Stories To Boost TRP

Manju Elsa Isac

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