Bigboo-boo...
...frombigstation
Far from
the
truth
S'porean slam Sun TV over report on
riot
Wild: A police report has
been made against Sun TV.
Report by NG JUN SEN
It is the biggest television network in South India and
the second biggest in the country.
Now it has also made the biggest booboo as far as Singaporean
are concerned.
The Chennai-based Sun TV reported in its news
broadcast on the Little India riot that Singaporeans had
attacked the South Indian rioters.
The news broadcast has sparked strong reactions,
including from readers of The New Paper, and led to one police
report being made against the station.
Potentially seen by million all over the world, the
station reported on Monday evening that an Indian national was
pushed out of the bus by a female bus driver, killing the worker on
the spot.
Broadcast in Tamil, it went on to say that
Singaporeans attacked the Indian nationals who were attacking the
bus and that Indian nationals were hiding in their homes for fear
of being harassed by the police or attacked by locals.
But the version given by the police here is vastly
different.
Firstly, the bus driver was a man.
Secondly, the Indian national, Mr Sakthivel
Kumaravelu, 33, was not killed from being pushed out of the
bus.
And Singapore civilians certainly did not attack
the rioters.
The report outraged local netizens, who posted
angry comments on YouTube videos showing the report.
YouTube user Jonathan Paramsivan commented: "We are
deeply sadden (sic) by the death of a guest worker and the
following incident.
"However, I cannot agree to Sun TV news
sensationalising the racial card. Where did you get your source of
news that Singapore Chinese were attacking the Indians?"
Netizen Don Santino wrote: "What a total lie, Sun
TV, please get your facts right before presenting it to the country
and the world. A proper apology should be given."
TNP also received e-mail from readers pointing out
the inaccuracies of Sun TV's reports.
Reader Kumudha Panneerchelvam emailed Sun TV:
"Journalism should be about reporting the truth in the most
intellectual way possible. Sad to say that your news team has lost
its credibility after yesterday's reporting.
"Such unethical news reporting can result in
tension between both countries."
When contacted by phone, Sun TV's editor in charge
of news editing Uma Shankar said he was unable to comment, reported
The Straits Times Online.
He said he needed to check the facts with the
sub-editor who had written the report.
ACCURACY
Said a police spokesman here: "It is important that we have
accurate reporting of the riots.
"We are looking into following up on (the
inaccuracies reported by Sun TV) through the appropriate
channels."
Singapore's High Commissioner in New Delhi, Mr Lim
Thuan Kuan, sent a letter to Sun TV yesterday, asking for "an
immediate correction" on its online and broadcast channels.
Mr Lim wrote: "We would like to put on record that
the erroneous reporting of the incident by Sun TV has been
irresponsible and brings to question its journalistic
integrity.
"The inaccurate and sensationalist coverage clearly
shows that Sun TV did not even bother to check the facts before
reporting on the incident."
A police report has been made, the police confirmed
yesterday.
A copy of the police report was posted online, with
the informant's name redacted from it.
The report was made "for the safety of my fellow
Singaporeans travelling to India".
The Sun TV network is the most viewed Tamil
television channel in the world, with syndicated broadcasts in
several countries, such as the UK, the US and Canada. Its
programmes are telecast both on Singtel mio and StarHub.
News, The New Paper, Wednesday, December 11 2013, Pg 4
