'Could be More Dignified': Delhi HC Expresses Displeasure Over Misreporting Its Comments on Newslaundry Editor
New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Friday (January 23) expressed displeasure with the manner in which its recent observations about Newslaundry's managing editor Manisha Pande during a hearing in a defamation case were reported by certain media platforms.
The court clarified that it did not have any intention to act against the journalist for her comments in a video programme, in which she allegedly called TV Today's content "shit". The court slammed the platforms for taking a portion of its observations from the previous hearing out of context and sensationalising them. Newslaundry has also filed a cross appeal in the matter.
The division bench, comprising Justice C. Hari Shankar and Justice Om Prakash Shukla, was hearing an appeal filed by the TV Today group alleging defamation and disparagement of its copyright work by Newslaundry.
“Before we proceed, yesterday in the hearing, certain strong remarks were made (against Pande). We don’t intend to act against that journalist or her career. I think the counsel here understood the spirit of the statements made. The reporting could have been more dignified. We are clarifying, we are not intending to proceed against her,” said Justice C. Hari Shankar, as quoted by LiveLaw.
During Thursday’s hearing, the high court had orally remarked that TV Today, which owns news channels India Today and Aaj Tak, was being "over sensitive" to Newslaundry's criticism and that only one of the 75 videos impugned seemed to be objectionable, whereas the rest of them were “mere comments”.
A day later, the high court noted that one para was taken out and made subject matter of a separate post which then floated all over social media, resulting in subsequent hate messages.
"We are not trying to cut down or gag the media. We are not saying that you should not report this or report the statements made in court. But while doing so, keep in mind the consequences of that reporting... None of us want to be the person inviting hate messages... maybe even that legal platform did not intend the consequence but people pick it up. If that is going to be the consequence, what will happen is that we will stop interacting," Justice Hari Shankar said.
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