Jindal-Zee TV: The new, improved, reverse sting

A TV channel is investigating alleged wrong-doings by a corporate entity, there are discussions on Rs100 crore to be paid to the channel to back off on the story.

The entire discussion between the TV channel and the company are secretly recorded.

Now, there’s a twist in the tale: the party doing the recording is not the TV channel — it’s the company being investigated by the TV channel.

According to the Indian Express , there were three meetings between officials of Zee TV and Jindal Power and Steel Limited (JSPL), the proceedings of which were taped on audio and video by JSPL and submitted to the police along with the filing of an FIR, naming “Essel Group chairman Subhash Chandra and his son Punit Goenka as co-accused in its FIR alleging “criminal conspiracy, extortion, criminial intimidation and defamation by Zee TV, which is a part of Essel Group, and its officials”.

In addition, Naveen Jindal has compained to the Broadcast Editors Association as well. “Broadcast Editors’ Association (BEA) has decided to set up a three-member fact-finding committee to look into allegations of industrialist and Congress MP Naveen Jindal against the Editor and journalist of Zee News channel,” reports Media Moghuls . The committee will announce the findings within two weeks.

The incident makes for interesting thinking: are we entering an era of new journalists, new investigators and, most provocatively, new media outlets – every single citizen?

If Zee can be stung – as they seem to have been – it’s time for journalists to beware. Journalists will, henceforth, need to be acutely aware of their surroundings, have to have supreme confidence that there is no danger of their becoming victims of stings by people they are talking to or investigating.

In a way, the Jindal sting will make Justice Katju a happy man. Willy-nilly, this incident helps the Press Council of India, insofar that it is a check on the possibility of journalists blackmailing citizens or companies into parting with cash or favours in exchange for damaging news being suppressed.

The incident is one that Justice Katju needs to speak out on or write about. The JSPL Vs Zee drama will play out soon and will be closely watched by media owners, journalists, politicians, government servants and corporates alike.

And, whatever the outcome, one thing is for sure: we’ll see a lot more of the new, improved sting – where the media is the stung, not the other way around.

Disclaimer: Firstpost is a part of Network18, which also owns TV channels which compete with channels owned by Essel Group.