The "axing" of stories at NDTV is not a new trend and certainly cannot be called an "aberration", said senior journalist Barkha Dutt.
Her admission comes after NDTV’s Managing Editor Sreenivasan Jain on Tuesday openly expressed his disappointment after a story, reported by Manas Pratap Singh and him, on the financial dealings of BJP chief Amit Shah’s son, was taken down.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Barkha, who quit as Consulting Editor of NDTV earlier this year, wrote, "I am not getting into the specifics of the story here and whether the story was right or wrong but I did point out when I first heard the controversy that the axing of stories at NDTV is hardly new and those seeking the higher moral ground today remained absolutely silent when some of us fought with the owners and management over these issues."
Without taking Sreenivasan's name, she said, "So when a former colleague calls this an 'aberration' surely that is a knowing falsehood."
She also listed instances when the channel either took down the stories she reported or when she was "given hell" for pursuing a story.
"The said former colleague and some others who have lately tried to claim the mantle of free speech crusaders- are all aware of the many different times stories were taken down or simply disallowed at NDTV. All of these people were totally silent then or rationalized the management decisions. An interview Nitin Gokhale did with the outgoing Navy Chief was taken down. There were other guests we were instructed not to call on the channel but the management did not want to put this in writing lest the mail leak. I was disallowed from pursuing a story on what was called the Jayanti Tax controversy. I was given hell for a story I did on Robert Vadra...," she said.
Nitin Gokhale too shared an archived link to his interview with the former navy chief.
Exactly three years ago this happened: https://t.co/cW1SOFEwnk. In less than a month, I quit. Let’s hope you show similar spunk. Good luck https://t.co/tFS0a3ltge
— Nitin A. Gokhale (@nitingokhale) October 18, 2017
Full transcript here: https://t.co/Yn3tA4Zx0n https://t.co/ekowaKIG3Z
— Nitin A. Gokhale (@nitingokhale) October 18, 2017
Sreenivasan retorted saying many were using this one incident to "pile on to NDTV".
Had decided to not respond to noise around my statement - abuse, support, whatever. Journalists tell stories. They are not the story.
— Sreenivasan Jain (@SreenivasanJain) October 18, 2017
But seeing how some are using this to pile on to NDTV, remember - can't think of too many org'n's that allow public dissent from within.
— Sreenivasan Jain (@SreenivasanJain) October 18, 2017
Is every media house perfect? No. But how many, despite aberrations, allow challenge to power? Lets not lose sight of that. - fin-
— Sreenivasan Jain (@SreenivasanJain) October 18, 2017
Sonia Singh, Editorial Director, NDTV, said that while some of what was being said about NDTV is true, some are "complete spin" "leading to complete distortion of what facts".
morning reading on Twitter with lots being said by many re NDTV.As someone who saw it all,let me say,some of it true,some complete spin
— sonia singh (@soniandtv) October 18, 2017
This spin leading to complete distortion of what facts were.Will not reduce professional & personal equations to sparring on Twitter 2/3
— sonia singh (@soniandtv) October 18, 2017
However,the vendetta & witch hunt NDTV,the Roys r facing is only because of our journalism,our principles & the journalists we stood up for
— sonia singh (@soniandtv) October 18, 2017