NEW DELHI: After directing the electronic news channels Aaj Tak, Zee News, News 24 and India TV to comply with its previous order of apologising on-air for their ‘insensitive coverage’ of actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death by suicide, the News Broadcasting Standard of India (NBSA) has now given the channels specific date and time to air their statements. 

While Aaj Tak is asked to air an apology on 27 October at 8.00 pm, India TV is required to do so on the same night at 9.00, and News 24 on 29 October at 9.oo pm. Zee News has been ordered to apologise publicly for sensationalising the actor's death.

Aaj Tak will also have to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh for attributing fake tweets to the late actor. The authority has said, “The broadcaster should have conducted its due diligence and verification prior to telecasting/uploading the tweets and not subsequently, which due diligence is a basic tenet and requirement of journalistic ethics and telecasting the tweets without verification had the tendency of spreading misinformation amongst the public."

The NBSA had found the news channels in violation of its specific guidelines vide order dated 6 October 2020 and had asked them to apologise in public for the same. It was told that the text, date and time of the apology will be given to the broadcasters.