TV Editors set up a new body

New Delhi, 22nd August

The editors of broadcast media announce the setting up of a body to strengthen the values of objective and fair broadcast journalism and to protect and promote the freedom of expression. The editors of television channels feel there is a need to evolve healthy norms, promote training of professional journalists at all levels,

ensure dissemination of credible and constructive news content and to protect the right to freedom of expression, whenever threatened.

In pursuit of the above mentioned aims and objects we announce the setting up of a broadcast editors' organization under the name of Broadcast Editors' Association (BEA).

The office-bearers of the BEA are as follows:

1. Shazi Zaman                   (Star News)                         President

2. Arnab Goswami             (Times Now)                       Vice-President

3. Pankaj Pachauri             (NDTV)                                Vice-President

4. N K Singh                        (ETV)                                   General Secretary

5. Sudhir Chaudhary         (Live India)                         Treasurer

Members of Executive Committee:

Ashutosh (IBN-7), Vinay Tewari (CNN-IBN), Satish K Singh (ZEE TV), Ajit Anjum (News-24), Vinod Kapri (India TV), Sanjay Bragta (Sahara TV) and Pranjal Sharma (UTV).

The BEA will soon develop its own website so as to make direct media-public interaction possible. It will hold seminars and other modes of two-way interaction to receive feedback from civil society organizations and decision-makers in public domain.

Letter to the Prime Minister from TV Editors

12th January 2009


Mr. Manmohan Singh,
The Prime Minister of India.

Dear Manmohan Singhji,

We are sure you are aware that the proposed measures to gag the electronic media have caused immense disquiet in the journalistic fraternity and amongst all those who believe in the freedom of expression.

As editors, we believe that the media is the watchdog to keep democracy and democratic principles alive. If instruments of the state begin to regulate us, the damage to democracy and all stakeholders in democracy would be irreparable. It is all the more surprising that this is happening when you are directly holding charge of the ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

We are aware that our right to keep a vigil also brings with it a responsibility to function according to the highest standards of ethics and national interest. We firmly believe that in a democracy media needs self-regulation and not regulation. The electronic media fraternity has already made significant movement in this direction. In view of this, we urge you to immediately suspend the proposed measures.

We would like to personally meet and impress upon you the historical blunder that these measures would be. They would for all times taint this government as one that tried to impose draconian measures on media and forever remind us that the emergency is not yet a closed chapter in this country.

Hoping for an appointment at the earliest.


Best regards
1. Ajit Anjum, News 24
2. Arnab Goswami, Times Now
3. Ashutosh, IBN 7
4. Barkha Dutt, NDTV 24X7
5. Deepak Chaurasia, Star News
6. Milind Khandekar, Star News
7. N K Singh, ETV
8. Pankaj Pachauri, NDTV India
9. QW Naqwi, Aaj Tak
10. Rajdeep Sardesai, CNN IBN
11. Satish K Singh, Zee News
12. Shazi Zaman, Star News
13. Supriya Prasad, News 24
14. Vinay Tiwari, CNN IBN
15. Vinod Kapri, India TV