OU unplugs live TV of unrest

Jul 22, 2012 |

Hyderabad

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Osmania University has banned the entry of outdoor broadcasting (OB) vans of TV news channels inside the campus. The OB vans are used for live coverage of events. University officials feel that the news channels were inciting violence on campus with live coverage of Telangana agitations and other controversial issues. They say that even minor incidents on campus — including Friday’s attempted march towards the Assembly — were being prominently highlighted by TV channels with live coverage, leading to unnecessary tension on campus.

They cited the violence which had erupted a few months ago due to live coverage of the “beef festival”. Banners depicting “No entry for OB vans into OU campus — By order of vice-chancellor” have been pro-minently displayed at the entry and exit gates of OU. Scores of OB vans being deputed at the OU campus had become a common sight since November 2009, when the T-agitation had erupted. TV channels had been vying with each other to catch the developments at OU “live” since then.

The competition went to the extent of arranging debates with student organisations on contentious issues “live” from the campus which would often lead to tussles between groups. Though the police had been trying to regulate OB vans’ entry into the campus, it could not succeed since the universities enjoy autonomous status and any such decision had to be taken by the executive council of the university.

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