New Delhi, Dec 29 (IANS) Anticipating “chaos” and resultant “bad publicity” in the coverage of the events after the death of the 23-year-old gang-rape victim, the National Broadcasters’ Association Saturday urged its members to show “complete respect for privacy” of the woman.
“I am asking for complete respect for privacy. Otherwise, I foresee chaos and bad publicity for all of us,” said an official of the NBA – an association of TV news channels – in a statement circulated among the members here.
The body of the woman, who succumbed to her injuries at a Singapore hospital early Saturday morning, is to be flown back to India in a chartered plane late Saturday night.
The death, which came after the victim’s 13-day-long battle for life, shocked and stunned an entire nation.
Keeping in mind the sensitivity of the issue, the NBA Saturday asked its members to ensure “complete respect for privacy” for the victim and said they should not show “the body, funeral and home or the family members of the woman.”
“No chasing of the funeral van, no interview with any relative and information about arrival of body and funeral should be given,” said the guidelines circulated among the NBA members, adding “the location of funeral should also not be given.”
According to NBA sources, the broadcasters’ body decided to withdraw telecast vans and teams from her home town Ballia in Uttar Pradesh and not to show arrival of body and its transportation, the funeral and shots of home or family members.
Noting the guidelines were exhaustive, the NBA further said that since there could be situations not covered in the suggestions, the members should follow the “guiding principle of protecting the identity, dignity and privacy of the girl.”
