Mumbai attack will be last on live TV

With visual media coming under attack for its coverage of Mumbai terror attacks, the News Broadcasters Association on Thursday came out with guidelines that insisted on no live coverage of armed and communal violence.

The guidelines also banned the broadcasters from providing information on security operations.

The NBA's self-regulatory guidelines also said that no information about hostage situations and rescue operations should be provided.

The guidelines further said media should avoid live contact with victims and security personnel during crises and stressed that no live reporting that provides publicity to the terrorists should be made.

"News related to armed conflicts and communal violence should be shown with public interest in mind," the guidelines said.

In case of a hostage situation, the guidelines said no details like identity or number of hostages should be telecast.

It also asked broadcasters to avoid unnecessary repetition of archival footage which may agitate the minds of viewers.

"Dignity of those who are killed should be kept in mind while such incidents are telecast," the guidelines read.

Announcing the guidelines, Justice J S Verma, who headed the committee which drafted it, said self regulation was far more effective than anything else.

He said these guidelines were the first big step in the direction of self regulation.