ITV

Tag: Soli Sorabjee

  • NDTV 24×7 appoints Soli Sorabjee as channel ombudsman

    NDTV 24×7 appoints Soli Sorabjee as channel ombudsman

    MUMBAI: The times aren’t doing so well for news channels; and to present the facts without any bias is of utmost importance to many.

    Hence, to constantly keep a check on its editorial NDTV 24X7 has appointed an ombudsman to regulate the content on the channel.

    Former attorney general of India Soli Sorabjee has agreed to come on board as an ombudsman who will provide independent perspective on the coverage of the channel as well as investigate into complaints by viewers. It is also a first such initiative by a news channel.

    NDTV editorial director and president of the Ethics Committee Sonia Singh said, “Every day, we in the media face new editorial challenges regarding journalistic boundaries and we are delighted that Sorabjee will, with his unchallenged integrity, be able to provide much needed insight and advice.”
        

    A new link has been created called www.ndtv.com/soli to address the issues. Speaking on his appointment NDTV Group vice chairperson KVL Narayan Rao said, “Soli Sorabjee is an independent, highly respected, highly regarded legal luminary, with years of experience in handling issues relating to freedom of expression and freedom of the press and censorship. We are delighted he has agreed to be the Ombudsman for NDTV.”

    As a jurist he has argued several cases of constitutional importance in HCs and SCs particularly relating to freedom of press, censorship etc.

    NDTV Group CEO and executive director Vikram Chandra added, “NDTV has always been committed to the highest standards of integrity and balance in its news coverage and we have now decided to take that one step further by appointing an independent Ombudsman who can adjudicate on any issues that may come up in the future.”

    We at indiantelevsion.com feel that Sorabjee with his experience may just be beneficial to the channel.

  • HC adjourns Sony case against Trai to 24 Jan

    HC adjourns Sony case against Trai to 24 Jan

    NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court bench hearing the case on the issue of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (Trai) constitutional standing to be a regulator today heard arguments by Sony Entertainment Television’s counsel, before adjourning it again to 18 January.

    The crux of senior counsel Soli Sorabjee’s hour-long argument was around the previously stated position that broadcasters are not covered under the Telecom regulatory nor cable operator acts. Hence Trai is not in a position to eithwer fix tariff or issue any other regulations or orders.

    The court had last December fixed the day for hearing this matter while stating that there would be no impact of the continued hearing on implementing Cas from the designated date: 31 December, 2006.

    The petition by Sony is now the main petition being heard by the court. The earlier petitions by first Star (2005), and then Sony, are all being heard as part of this main petition.

    Star had filed the orginal case in 2005 challenging the constitutional validity of Trai as a regulatory authority for broadcasters.

    Since the very locus standi of Trai had been sought to be shown as unconstitutional by Star, automatically all its powers and orders were challenged, including the order of tariff freeze. Later, Sony had filed a seperate petition on the orders of 24 August and 31 August regarding Trai’s constitutional validity, its orders relating to price fixing under Cas regime at Rs 5 per pay channel, as well as its order on interconnection.

    Trai had issued an order saying that signals to a cable operator or MSO could not be disconnected, whatever be the reason, by a broadcaster unless 21 days prior notice is issued.

    On the price fixing at Rs 5, the court had asked Sony to appeal to TDSAT as that was a quantitative issue.

    HC at the moment is only hearing the constitutional issue, which will continue on 24 January.