NEW DELHI: The Press Council of India (PCI) has issued guidelines for journalists covering the ongoing protests in Delhi against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying the measures are aimed at “ensuring the safety of media personnel while enabling them to carry out their professional duties effectively.“According to a PCI release, the council adopted the “Guidelines for Journalists Covering Protests and Demonstrations” at a meeting on Thursday.The guidelines advise journalists to carry valid identity cards issued by their organisations or accreditation from the Press Information Bureau (PIB) or the Directorate of Information and Publicity (DIP), and keep them visibly displayed. They should calmly identify themselves to law enforcement personnel, maintain neutrality, avoid provoking confrontations and follow lawful instructions, particularly those issued for safety reasons.On safety, the PCI urged journalists to maintain a reasonable distance from confrontations, move cautiously through crowds and continually reassess their surroundings. It also cautioned against attaching cameras or recording equipment to police barricades, vehicles or other equipment in ways that obstruct movement or damage property.“Move carefully through crowds, taking short steps to reduce the risk of falling or being trampled. Continuously reassess your position in relation to protesters, counter-protesters, police, and other potential sources of danger,” the guidelines said.Journalists should remain alert to changes in crowd behaviour, approaching individuals, potential confrontations, shifts in crowd noise and emerging hazards. They should also identify and regularly reassess escape routes, including nearby exits, open streets, sidewalks and safe locations. In the event of smoke or tear gas, they should use visible landmarks and safe routes to leave the affected area without moving further into the crowd.The PCI also advised journalists to carry a compact safety kit containing first-aid supplies, water, snacks, a flashlight, a washcloth and eye protection. Depending on the assessed threat, they should consider wearing protective headgear and body armour. Journalists should learn basic first aid and avoid touching tear-gas canisters, flash-bang devices or smoke grenades.On coordination, the guidelines call on newsrooms to designate a point of contact to track journalists’ locations and respond to emergencies. Freelancers, meanwhile, should ensure that a trusted editor or contact knows their location, assignment plan and expected return time.
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For planned demonstrations, media organisations should coordinate with police and public information officers to clarify communication protocols and identify designated media staging areas.Emphasising journalistic ethics, the Council called for accurate and impartial reporting, urging journalists to distinguish verified facts from allegations and unconfirmed claims and to verify information through multiple sources. Statements from protesters, organisers, police and government authorities should be subjected to equal journalistic scrutiny, with claims clearly attributed.The guidelines also caution against publishing real-time police positions or escape routes if doing so could compromise safety. Journalists should describe observable actions rather than speculate about motives and exercise particular care when filming minors, injured people and private citizens in distress.The council stressed that equipment, live-broadcast commitments and pressure to obtain exclusive footage should never take precedence over journalists’ safety.(With ANI inputs)
