The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday emphasized the responsibility of media organizations in their reporting, cautioning that the pursuit of TRP ratings can sometimes result in the destruction of individuals’ lives.

Justice M. I. Arun, while hearing a petition, remarked:

“See, press people, you hold great responsibility. You shape public opinion and have the power to build nations. For the sake of a few TRP points, we are seeing instances where lives are being harmed. You may report that someone held a press conference and said something, but you cannot present it as an established fact.”

The observations arose during the hearing of a petition filed by Ravi Hegde, Editor-in-Chief of Kannada Prabha, seeking to quash a criminal defamation complaint lodged against him by Minister K. J. George.

The defamation case traces back to 2020, when Minister George alleged that Hegde, along with Ravi Krishna Reddy and N. R. Ramesh, president and general secretary of the Karnataka Rashtra Samithi, made “baseless, reckless, and malicious allegations” against him.

Advocate S. Sudharsan, representing Hegde, argued that the proceedings against Minister George were quashed on technical grounds. He further explained that Hegde’s reporting relied solely on a press release issued by the Karnataka Rashtriya Samiti and subsequent press conferences, without attributing any personal motive or intention.

Senior Advocate K. N. Phanindra, representing Minister George, contended that the trial court’s cognisance order encompassed multiple news reports, not just one article, and that the ongoing stay had halted the trial against other accused.

The bench highlighted the influence wielded by media, stating:

“Press people should recognize their immense power. Your words can make or break reputations. Even if you do not earn huge sums, the impact of your reporting is significant. Hearsay must remain hearsay and should not be presented as fact.”

The Court suggested that issuing an apology could resolve the matter. Justice Arun added:

“Repeatedly, we see that for TRP ratings, media outlets sometimes compromise responsibility. You have a greater duty; for the sake of ratings, you must act responsibly. Even clarifying that you only reported what was said in a press conference, without verifying its truth, is insufficient if it harms someone. A proper apology should be issued and publicized equally.”

Advocate Sudharsan requested time to obtain instructions from Hegde regarding the Court’s suggestion.

The hearing has been adjourned to August 20, with the interim order extended until the next date.

Case Title: Ravi Hegde AND Kelachandra Joseph George
Case No: Criminal Petition No. 4209/2021
Appearance: Advocate Sudarshan Suresh for Petitioner; Senior Advocate K. N. Phanindra for Respondent