‘Feel angry watching TV news’: Activist behind NBDSA fines on many channels

“In a way, this is my medium of resistance. I come from the LGBT community, so I know how it feels when a minority is oppressed,” says Indrajeet Ghorpade, a 32-year-old techie and activist from Pune.

Indrajeet has filed over 50 complaints so far against several news channels with the News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority. In most of his complaints, the NBDSA – a self-regulatory body which has over 120 channels as members – has taken action ranging from fines to directions to take down content and issue apologies.

The activist says he started filing such complaints during the Covid period. “At that time the media was calling the workers and especially the Muslims as 'Corona bombs'. At the same time, the case of Sushant Singh Rajput's death came up. The media also covered it badly. I was home…I read the rules of NBDSA. Since I am an IT professional, it did not take much time for me to understand it. After that, I started filing complaints.”

But how to file such complaints? What is the process? How do channels counter them? Why does the media often lack objectivity? Indrajeet has some answers.

Watch.

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