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Most media oulets threw ethics to the winds by naming the Orissa rape victim
Date: November 7, 2008 Author: Newswatch Desk
Research: Contentious
Research: Contentious
After two months of silence, the nun who was raped and paraded naked by a frenetic mob of Hindu rightwingers in Kandhamal in Orissa, chose to speak about her horrifying experience at a press conference in New Delhi on October 24, 2008. She narrated her ordeal, and issued a signed statement. Many news outlets reported the heart-wrenching tale. But there were others who threw elementary media ethics to the winds and went overboard—they named the victim. Though two-thirds of the news stories that were tracked by Newswatch desisted from identifying the nun by name, a substantial one-thirds did.
If this proportion was not alarming enough, when the researchers narrowed down the number of news items tracked for the study to distinct and original stories, it was found that slightly more than half of the news establishments which reported reported the press conference were guilty of naming the victim.
The fact that deciding to speak to the press was the nun’s own choice, the signed statement was not a fait accompli for news outlets to mention her by name in the reports about the press meet. That two-thirds of the news establishments refrained from doing so, showed that they were sensitive in reporting about sexual violence. In spite of a Supreme Court advisory about not naming victims of sexual violence, the ones who made the most of the “sensational” story did so with their callous handling of a sensitive subject.
ABOUT THE REPORT
Insensitive: How many news outlets threw ethics to the winds by naming a rape victim Edited and published by Subir Ghosh for Newswatch. © Newswatch 2008. Note: Even though efforts have been made to provide accurate information in this report, the publisher would appreciate if readers call his attention to errors by emailing newswatchindia@gmail.com. Suggestions for future study subjects can be sent to the same email address.
REPORT SPECIFICATIONS
Pages: 4
Format: PDF
Colour: All-colour
Price: Free
Size: 161 KB
[For download link, please scroll down.]
Format: PDF
Colour: All-colour
Price: Free
Size: 161 KB
[For download link, please scroll down.]
There were insensitivities in other areas too:
- A story by Indo-Asian News Service was carried by two news portals headlined ‘Raped Orissa nun speaks about her sordid tale’. Only Sify.com edited out the word ‘sordid’.
- The Telegraph even hailed her as the Indian incarnation of Pakistan’s Mukhtaran Mai.
- The Times (London) carried the most graphic description of the rape: One of the mob raped her, while two more held her down, and then a fourth tried to rape her again, before they paraded the priest and her, minus her blouse and underwear, along a road, she said.
PROJECT CREDITS: Study supervisor: Subir Ghosh; Research assistant: Priyanka Mittal
To download the report, click on the link below.
| Attachment | Size |
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| nun.pdf | 160.87 KB |
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Most media oulets threw ethics to the winds by naming the Orissa rape victim
After two months of silence, the nun who was raped and paraded naked by a frenetic mob of Hindu rightwingers in Kandhamal in Orissa, chose to speak about her horrifying experience at a press conference in New Delhi on October 24, 2008. She narrated her ordeal, and issued a signed statement. Many news outlets reported the heart-wrenching tale. But there were others who threw elementary media ethics to the winds and went overboard—they named the victim. Though two-thirds of the news stories that were tracked by Newswatch desisted from identifying the nun by name, a substantial one-thirds did.
If this proportion was not alarming enough, when the researchers narrowed down the number of news items tracked for the study to distinct and original stories, it was found that slightly more than half of the news establishments which reported reported the press conference were guilty of naming the victim.
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The last few years have seen a number of high-profile cases in Indian courts wherein the rich and mighty have been held guilty and sentenced to prison. The news media, in many cases, has been accused of conducting its own shadow trials. The news media coverage these court cases have derived has been phenomenal. This year saw Delhi courts passing verdicts in the Shivani Bhatnagar murder and BMW hit-and-run cases.
I agree with you completely, Subir. The naming of a victim of rape is most unethical. The media are the fourth pillar (and watchdogs) of democracy! Whither democratic norms and democracy, if three pillars are already crumbling (or almost crumbled) and the fourth pillar well underway towards a path of self-destruction.
An ASI protected medieval ... Read Moremonument gets demolished by an influential builder in New Delhi, and the two prominent English language newspapers do not mention the name of the suspected culprit! Why are they being queasy in naming the culprit? These "noteworthy worthies" never hesistate in naming the victim of a rape or even communities involved in sectarian violence, but will not name the philistine who demolished a medieval monument!!!!!
The reason is simple: the builder who got the monument demolished, must be advertising in the property supplements of these prominent newspapers and must be generating revenue worth crores of rupees for these newspapers. I have not even seen a single news channel name the builder. It's all about money, ethics be damned: that seems to be the credo nowadays!
Subir, can you think of a single instance where the builder has been named in the last one week in media? Sorry, I digressed a bit, but I had to bring to the fore and contrast the biased and petty behaviour of the media in general vis-à-vis the victims of rape/sexual assault.
have u read manjula padmanabhans play "lights out" true story happened in mumbai .......I had directed the play once for an organisation raised 7000 grand for them .....interesting and its about rape and how common indviduals are scared to stand up or protest ......u journalist have a duty .......as Abhai has put it unethical
the media is full of buffoons nowadays
most of the reportage one sees on the news today, leaves you feeling cold and disgusted. Things like showing a dead body's face etc in gruesome detail, naming victims of sexual abuse, hiding the names of crooks like the builders Abhay mentions. Once I saw a news item on NDTV about the microwave effects of a mobile's radiation; couple of people ... Read Morein US to demonstrate this kept a handful of un-popped popcorns in the centre of the table and then surrounded them by their cell-phones...and then they called on them and voila...the popcorns burst. now this was an experiment to show the harmful effects and the anchors were laughing about it.
and is it not ironical that we don't the names of the rapists but we can now identify the victim. Haven't we heard of name and shame policy?
Subirda, The day I saw the nun on TV recounting those horrific details, I was shell shocked as to how such a cruel attitude can exist among people. But then we Humans have been found to exhibit immense kindness and inflict the unlimate cruelty. I couldnt sleep that night.
Then I had a talk with John Dayal and he told me he personally knew this ... Read Morenun, again I dont know how John can take it in his stride peacefully. He has the courage, and he is fighting to get her Justice.
Rape is the most heinous of crimes I feel. I can forgive a Murderer but I can never forgive a Rapist. They should all be stoned to death (it being the most painful of deaths, its justified). Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist.... women all over have the same right to be protected and its the States duty to Provide it, moreover its Societies Right to provide it. If it cant, then they should be the ones to be stoned to death. Its not a matter of Religion anymore, Its not a matter of conversion anymore, Its a matter of Humanity.
I wont blame the Media much, Since when have they shown genuine sensitivity? Some have shown, Some lack the basic Media ethics. For them, I feel if its their own sisters being raped, it will be a news worth Publishing (Forgive my language, I had to say it).
I Salute you Subir, I really do. I hope you get more coverage for the Work you are doing, but then will the so called "mainstream media" give it to you? Wish you luck
the unethical behaviour of the media shocked me completely but them earlier also there have been instances all over the world where these people for cheap publicity do things beyond imagination .The issues where the curprits should be publicaly named and condemed never come out due to some pressure be it polical or any other ..maney changes hands ... Read Morequickly but in a case where a woman braves the social trauma and brings out in open her true story ,these people feel no shame in slandring he name ..is this what democracy is all about ?senstivity and media ,in more cases are two ends of a pole ...extremly sad .
The media loves to sensationalize every thing. I agree with @Ahmed Sidhique, they would not spare their mothers and daughters too. Is some kind of action being taken against this?
action? well the people who are supposed to take action are co-ordinating all the action sequences, while others are missing in action. Thanks to people like Subir, we get to know something.