Northeast Nuances
3.3.4 Selection or Omission of Violence Content in Media
According to Sub-editor of a regional newspaper:
Yes, gory incidents should not be shown or highlighted, dead bodies should be omitted, sexual violence should be blurred and names and faces of victims should not be published or shown without permission of the victim or the family if the victim is dead.
According to CEO and Content Editor of a television news channel:
We don’t name people killed in violence, if the origin of the violence is communal in nature. If the act of violence is a quarrel or a fight between two, we try to hide the identity of the person in concern and just report the story. And it is seen that the article or report does not hurt the sentiments of any audience and be neutral about it.
There are certain norms such as the effect of the story on the viewers and readers and the benefit of the channel or newspaper by publishing or telecasting of that news.
No procedure (more the better): 53% respondents (Figure 3.17) suggest that there is no norm followed by media houses or individual media practitioners when it comes to inclusion of violence content in media. Respondents believe the more the scale of violence the more it is exposed and explored by media.
According to a freelance journalist associated with nation media house:
The bigger the violence (in scale and consequence) the greater is the news impact expected.
Although there is no such norm regarding the content, murders and communal violence would gain selection any day over petty domestic violence.
According to Freelance journalist reporting for national news channels:
Media is driven by commercial market driven dynamics wherein it all depends upon what sells in the market. News is shown or reported which readers want to read or know. Hence, violence is increasingly reported from northeast India.
According to Senior Correspondent of a regional television channel:
There does not seem to be any specific norm regarding the selection or omission of violence content in media. But off course more importance is usually given to news which is more sensationalised or has reference to big names or big cities. Apart from this it could however be said that violence associated with big cities find more exposure then those originating in the remote or distant places.
According to veteran Freelance journalist of Assam:
However certain vernacular media seems to be sympathetic or unsympathetic, according to their respective policies and target audiences, towards news reporting on migrants from
Bangladesh or former East Pakistan, while certain others on migrants from Hindi regions of India.
According to Staff reporter of a regional vernacular language newspaper:
It should follow news values and ethical dimensions. The reporter should keep in mind the betterment and sentimentality of a country than a region or part.
According to Senior Copy Editor of an English newspaper:
Generally, media houses used to decide against publishing gruesome photos of victims or detailed graphic descriptions about the event in gory terms earlier. However, TRP and circulation competitions have changed this reservation.
According to News Coordinator of a regional television news channel:
Usually petty crimes like theft, burglary etc do not make it into the content. Crimes of grievous nature make it to the news based on the circumstances and its implication on the society.
According to Producer (News) DD News, Guwahati Office:
We will have to be non-prerogative to any subject of violent content. There is no way no selection. Only the mental health and conscience of the person in charge of the particular news should decide how much importance to be given to the event subject matter. We should not exaggerate the particular subject … but we should be authentic and truthful to the subject. And it should not disturb anyone, any community, any religion. We should not be biased.
Apparently ‘more the better’ guideline rules TRP and circulation, national coverage and also media consumers; therefore the same guideline is used for justifying selection of violent content in media as well. Thus to keep track with the increasing commercial attitude in media, and also to attract a large number of audiences’ more of violent content is incorporated in media texts, especially in regard to Assam or Northeast.
Priority concepts: 5% respondents opined that there are certain concepts which are always given priority in news rather than others. Here comes in the concept of news value. News values are certain general guidelines or criteria used by media outlets to determine the representation of any story (event, place, people, incident etc.). Not only do these characteristics qualify a story to be new-worthy, they also determine the amount of importance to be given to the news, with space and time allotments.
Certain issues of mass violence, urban contexts are often understood to be TRP or circulation grabbers, and thus considered newsworthy too.
According to Producer (Hindi language News bulletin) of a regional news channel:
Urban incidents are given more importance than those from rural areas. An incident associated with/ influencing high profile people (political/ cultural/ social/ industrial), urban areas is blown out of proportion whereas incidents related to common people rarely gets coverage.
According to Producer/ Anchor of News of a regional news channel:
The violent content must not incite more violence if there is a chance of it than either it is omitted or the content is regulated and toned down.
Need to regulate: Reacting to the present media scenario prevalent in the region and limitless extent to which violence is represented in media, 4% respondents (Figure 3.17) strongly feel that there needs to be a regulation body.
As far as I am aware there no law as such for the omission of violence content in media. The press council of India can play a vital role in such activities and govern the contents of the media thoroughly so that the institutes that violate these principles are punished. There are some ethical human values which all civilized person of the society possess and understands.