By September this year, the News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority had received 26 complaints against some of India’s biggest news channels for broadcasts that encouraged superstition, promoted communal narratives, or targeted minorities. 

Set up as a self-regulatory mechanism for the television news industry, the authority found clear violations of its Code of Ethics in nine of these cases. It found that channels had linked madrassas to terrorism, portrayed Muslims as “unhygienic”, spread “thook jihad” theories, and aired debates urging voters to think along communal lines.

Yet none of the channels were fined. There were eight takedown orders, a direction to edit a video, and in the remaining matters, merely a reminder of the code they had violated. Even for repeat offenders. 

This restraint is striking given the powers the NBDSA technically wields. Under its own guidelines, the authority can levy fines – of up to Rs 25 lakh – for repeated violations, to suspend programmes for a week, and even take anchors off air for up to a month. It can order content takedowns and mandate on-air apologies. These provisions were designed to give the self-regulatory body real teeth – a way for the industry to police itself and stave off government regulation. But at a time when Indian news television has descended into partisan theatrics, communal framing, and nightly trials by studio, the watchdog has rarely mustered the will to respond.

A Newslaundry analysis of 416 complaints filed against member channels since 2019 suggests that the NBDSA has effectively stepped back from its role.