The Crossbill News Desk
Amid controversy over media reports on its oral remarks, the Delhi High Court on Friday (January 23) moved to clarify its position in a defamation dispute involving digital news platform Newslaundry and the TV Today group, expressing displeasure at what it described as selective and sensational reporting of its observations from an earlier hearing.
The court made it clear that it had no intention of taking any action against Newslaundry’s managing editor Manisha Pande for comments she made in a video programme, including a remark in which TV Today’s content was allegedly described as “shit”.
The bench said that portions of its earlier observations had been taken out of context by certain platforms, leading to unwarranted controversy. Newslaundry, the court was informed, has also filed a cross appeal in the case.
The division bench of Justice C. Hari Shankar and Justice Om Prakash Shukla was hearing an appeal filed by the TV Today group, which has accused Newslaundry of defamation and of disparaging its copyrighted material.
“Before we proceed, yesterday in the hearing, certain strong remarks were made (against Pande). We don’t intend to act against that journalist or her career. I think the counsel here understood the spirit of the statements made. The reporting could have been more dignified. We are clarifying, we are not intending to proceed against her,” said Justice C. Hari Shankar, as quoted by Live Law.
The court referred back to its oral observations made during Thursday’s hearing, when it had remarked that TV Today, which runs news channels India Today and Aaj Tak, appeared to be “over sensitive” to criticism by Newslaundry.
The bench had also noted at the time that out of the 75 videos cited by TV Today, only one seemed potentially objectionable, while the rest amounted to “mere comments”.
On Friday, the bench expressed concern over the fallout of how those remarks were reported. It noted that a single paragraph from the previous hearing was extracted and circulated widely on social media, triggering a wave of hostile responses.
“We are not trying to cut down or gag the media. We are not saying that you should not report this or report the statements made in court. But while doing so, keep in mind the consequences of that reporting… None of us want to be the person inviting hate messages… maybe even that legal platform did not intend the consequence but people pick it up. If that is going to be the consequence, what will happen is that we will stop interacting,” Justice Hari Shankar said.
The court made it clear that it had no intention of taking any action against Newslaundry’s managing editor Manisha Pande for comments she made in a video programme, including a remark in which TV Today’s content was allegedly described as “shit”.
The bench said that portions of its earlier observations had been taken out of context by certain platforms, leading to unwarranted controversy. Newslaundry, the court was informed, has also filed a cross appeal in the case.
The division bench of Justice C. Hari Shankar and Justice Om Prakash Shukla was hearing an appeal filed by the TV Today group, which has accused Newslaundry of defamation and of disparaging its copyrighted material.
“Before we proceed, yesterday in the hearing, certain strong remarks were made (against Pande). We don’t intend to act against that journalist or her career. I think the counsel here understood the spirit of the statements made. The reporting could have been more dignified. We are clarifying, we are not intending to proceed against her,” said Justice C. Hari Shankar, as quoted by Live Law.
The court referred back to its oral observations made during Thursday’s hearing, when it had remarked that TV Today, which runs news channels India Today and Aaj Tak, appeared to be “over sensitive” to criticism by Newslaundry.
The bench had also noted at the time that out of the 75 videos cited by TV Today, only one seemed potentially objectionable, while the rest amounted to “mere comments”.
On Friday, the bench expressed concern over the fallout of how those remarks were reported. It noted that a single paragraph from the previous hearing was extracted and circulated widely on social media, triggering a wave of hostile responses.
“We are not trying to cut down or gag the media. We are not saying that you should not report this or report the statements made in court. But while doing so, keep in mind the consequences of that reporting… None of us want to be the person inviting hate messages… maybe even that legal platform did not intend the consequence but people pick it up. If that is going to be the consequence, what will happen is that we will stop interacting,” Justice Hari Shankar said.
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