NEW DELHI — The News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has imposed a ₹2 lakh fine on Zee News over its coverage of a student protest at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), according to the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), which welcomed the order on Saturday.
The complaint was filed by Talha Mannan in connection with Zee News programmes aired on August 16, 2025, concerning an AMU student protest and expressions of solidarity with Palestine. Mannan was represented in the proceedings by advocates Aman Khan, Tarique Alam and Fawaz Shaheen, APCR said.
According to APCR, the NBDSA, after examining the broadcast and submissions from both sides, found that the coverage went beyond straightforward reporting of the protest. The authority, the organisation said, observed that the broadcast used language and presentation that criminalised and mischaracterised expressions of solidarity with Palestine.
The regulator also noted that the coverage selectively presented portions of the protest and misrepresented certain slogans, creating an impression that differed from the actual nature and context of the demonstration, APCR said.
Along with the monetary penalty, the NBDSA directed Zee News to remove the footage in question from its website, YouTube, Facebook and other social media platforms within seven days.
APCR described the order as significant, arguing that news organisations have a responsibility to report public events accurately and in their proper context. The civil rights organisation said that peaceful protests, political opinions and expressions of solidarity should not be portrayed as evidence of criminality through selective footage, inflammatory headlines or loaded tickers.
The organisation also said the order highlighted the potential consequences of prejudicial media coverage, particularly when reporting involves universities, students or minority communities.
“News organisations have a responsibility to report matters of public interest fairly and in their proper context,” APCR said in its statement, adding that reporting should not create narratives that stigmatise communities or discourage legitimate expression.
The organisation thanked Mannan for pursuing the complaint and said it would continue supporting efforts aimed at holding media organisations accountable for what it described as inflammatory and polarising coverage.
APCR further called on broadcasters to adhere to basic standards of accuracy, fairness and context, particularly while covering students, universities, minorities and issues involving political movements or international solidarity.
The NBDSA action follows a complaint over broadcasts from August 2025 and places renewed focus on the standards governing television news coverage of protests and politically sensitive issues. The authority’s directions also require the broadcaster to remove the disputed material from its digital platforms within the stipulated seven-day period.
APCR said the order should serve as a reminder that press freedom carries a corresponding responsibility to present facts without selectively framing events in a manner that could mislead viewers or stigmatise particular communities.
