On the eve of new year’s celebrations in Bengaluru, NewsFirst Kannada and other media outlets displayed an alarming and unethical journalistic conduct as they filmed by zooming in on the outfits, bodies and faces of women despite their discomfort and requests for not being filmed. The incident took place outside pubs on the streets of Bengaluru’s MG Road, Church Street and Koramangala area.
The invasive reporting continued despite the presence of police officials. Further, the channels disrespectfully sensationalized incidents capturing women, perpetuating the cycle of misogyny and harmful stereotypes against women.
Instead of reporting an alleged incident of a woman’s sexual harassment at the scene, the channel’s video report sensationalized the incident by recording the male friend’s physical confrontation with the harasser. The video’s captions read - "Lover beats up man for molesting 'his' woman" and "Molester gets free beatings by lover."
Further, videos on NewsFirst’s youtube channel displayed several similar sexist captions like, "Drunken girl's whims”, “drunk woman creates ruckus in Koramangala,” “Woman not even in the condition to walk,” and “Girls swaying in the middle of the road.”
These examples are only illustrative and not exhaustive. This is not an isolated incident showcasing misogynistic media coverage. About a month ago, on the night of the world cup match, Thanthi TV and Polimer News along with other media outlets showed a similar form of invasive reporting where women were shamed and chased out of pubs in Chennai. We are mobilizing to demand a public apology from them.
This invasive method of reporting is a violation of the constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights under Article 14 (Right to Equality), Article 15 (Prohibition of Discrimination), and Article 21 of the Indian Constitution (Protection of Life and Personal Liberty).
The Deputy Commissioner of Police from the Southeast Division, CK Baba, mentioned that if anyone comes forward and files a complaint, the police will probe the matter, as reported by The News Minute. And while NewsFirst Kannada has deleted some of their videos after being called out for their misogynistic media coverage, the damage caused by such reports exceeds their digital presence.
It is important to hold misogynist media outlets accountable and discourage them from using their cameras as a tool to invade women’s privacy. Join us in demanding accountability from NewsFirst Kannada and others involved.
Demand a formal and public apology and commitment to inclusive and respectful media coverage by signing the petition now!
On the eve of new year’s celebrations in Bengaluru, NewsFirst Kannada and other media outlets displayed an alarming and unethical journalistic conduct as they filmed by zooming in on the outfits, bodies and faces of women despite their discomfort and requests for not being filmed. The incident took place outside pubs on the streets of Bengaluru’s MG Road, Church Street and Koramangala area.
The invasive reporting continued despite the presence of police officials. Further, the channels disrespectfully sensationalized incidents capturing women, perpetuating the cycle of misogyny and harmful stereotypes against women.
Instead of reporting an alleged incident of a woman’s sexual harassment at the scene, the channel’s video report sensationalized the incident by recording the male friend’s physical confrontation with the harasser. The video’s captions read - "Lover beats up man for molesting 'his' woman" and "Molester gets free beatings by lover."
Further, videos on NewsFirst’s youtube channel displayed several similar sexist captions like, "Drunken girl's whims”, “drunk woman creates ruckus in Koramangala,” “Woman not even in the condition to walk,” and “Girls swaying in the middle of the road.”
These examples are only illustrative and not exhaustive. This is not an isolated incident showcasing misogynistic media coverage. About a month ago, on the night of the world cup match, Thanthi TV and Polimer News along with other media outlets showed a similar form of invasive reporting where women were shamed and chased out of pubs in Chennai. We are mobilizing to demand a public apology from them.
This invasive method of reporting is a violation of the constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights under Article 14 (Right to Equality), Article 15 (Prohibition of Discrimination), and Article 21 of the Indian Constitution (Protection of Life and Personal Liberty).
The Deputy Commissioner of Police from the Southeast Division, CK Baba, mentioned that if anyone comes forward and files a complaint, the police will probe the matter, as reported by The News Minute. And while NewsFirst Kannada has deleted some of their videos after being called out for their misogynistic media coverage, the damage caused by such reports exceeds their digital presence.
It is important to hold misogynist media outlets accountable and discourage them from using their cameras as a tool to invade women’s privacy. Join us in demanding accountability from NewsFirst Kannada and others involved.
Demand a formal and public apology and commitment to inclusive and respectful media coverage by signing the petition now!