Four Ws of journalism now reduced to four Ds - defame, denigrate, damnify and destroy: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court on Friday opined that the factual framework that used to guide journalists in reporting accurate and comprehensive news seems to have withered away now. [Shajan Scaria v. State of Kerala & Anr].Justice VG Arun observed that the four Ws that used to guide journalism - Who, What, When and Where - appears to have been replaced with the "four D’s", namely Defame, Denigrate, Damnify and Destroy..“The four W's of journalism that are used to guide journalists in their reporting and helped in ensuring the accuracy and completeness of news stories are: Who, What, When, and Where. The four W's and sometimes the fifth “Why” used to serve as a framework for journalists to gather information. Videos like the one under consideration make one wonder whether the W's have been replaced with D's; Defame, Denigrate, Damnify, and Destroy,” the Court observed..The Court made the observation while referring to a news item published on the YouTube channel Marunadan Malayali, by its editor Shajan Scaria, containing allegedly defamatory statements against Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) PV Sreenijin..After this news item was published, Scaria was booked for offences punishable under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (SC/ST Act) and the Kerala Police Act..The prosecution's case was that Scaria, in his capacity as the editor and publisher of Marunadan Malayali, had telecast a news item containing false, baseless and defamatory allegations against MLA Sreenijin.Scaria admitted that he had telecast a video against the MLA, but asserted that he had no intention to insult the MLA. He further submitted that he published the news only on facts unearthed through research and sources. He also pointed out that after the criminal case was registered against him, he had removed the video from public view..On June 16, a Special Court dismissed Scaria's application for anticipatory bail.Scaria then moved an appeal before the High Court.This appeal was dismissed by the High Court on Friday after finding that there was a prima facie case made out against Scaria under the SC/ST Act..[Read Judgment]