Supreme Court Says 'No Blanket Ban' On News Coverage, Bars Use Of Audio-Video Clips

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that news outlets cannot use videos or audio clips from their proceedings in their reports, The Indian Express reported. The court clarified that its July 24 interim order does not bar them from reporting on judicial proceedings.

The clarification came on July 31 from a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana. The bench was hearing a plea against the “selective clipping, editing, decontextualised circulation, and commercial exploitation on social media and digital platforms” of judicial proceedings.

What Did The Supreme Court Clarify?

The bench said that the July 24 order does not prohibit reporting. They clarified after noting that "some confusion persists" over paragraph 11 of its July 24 interim order. The interim order prohibited the usage of audio/ video clips of judicial proceedings without prior permission from the Registrar General of the Supreme Court or the concerned High Court.

The bench clarified that the order "is not to be construed as imposing a blanket prohibition on the reporting of court proceedings by recognised news outlets." News outlets may cover courtroom hearings through conventional means.

Why Was The Earlier Order Passed?

The case pertains to a Public Interest Litigation filed by journalist Harshita Grover, which argued that selective and out-of-context circulation of courtroom exchanges undermines the dignity of courts and erodes public confidence. The court allowed an intervention application of RTI Activists who opposed a ban on sharing court clips.

The Supreme Court on July 24 observed that ‘courts can't be a 24x7 entertainment channel’. The Bench had then also directed the Union government to place a proposal before the court identifying the nodal ministries that could implement the reliefs sought in the plea. Notices were also issued to social media intermediaries, including Meta and X.

What Does It Mean For News Organisations?

The Supreme Court stated that the order will not affect media reporting of court proceedings. "It is clarified that this order shall have no bearing on the reporting of Court proceedings by recognized news outlets," it had said.

The Bar and Bench reported that the Supreme Court asked for status reports from High Courts on the adoption of the Model Rules for Live Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings and explain the feasibility of continuous, uninterrupted live streaming.

The matter is listed for further hearing on September 18.