Media Outlets Should Not Violate Norms Of Journalistic Conduct: Press Council Of India In Connection With Sushant Death Case

New Delhi: The Press Council of India (PCI) has taken strong objection to the coverage of the Sushant Singh Rajput death case by many media outlets. The media should adhere to the norms of journalistic conduct in covering cases under investigation and is advised not to carry out its own “parallel trial”, it said.

The media should not narrate the story in a manner so as to induce the general public to believe in the complicity of the person indicted, PCI said in its advisory, reported First Post quoting PTI.

What else did PCI say?

• The coverage of the alleged suicide by a film actor by many media outlets is in violation of the norms of journalistic conduct
• The media should adhere to the norms framed by it (PCI)
• Publishing information based on gossip about the line of investigation by official agencies on the crime committed is not desirable
• It is not advisable to vigorously report crime related issues on a “day to day basis and comment on the evidence without ascertaining the factual matrix”
• The media should refrain from giving excessive publicity to the victim, witnesses, suspects and accused as it will amount to invasion of their privacy rights
• Identification of the witnesses by the media needs to be avoided as it endangers them to come under pressure from the accused or associates as well as investigating agencies
• The reporting of the alleged suicide by the actor by some of newspapers is also in violation of the norms formulated by the Council for reporting on suicide
• The media should not use language which sensationalises or normalises suicides or presents it as a constructive solution to the problems