A National Security Guard commando rappels down to the roof of Nariman House on November 28, an action captured live by television cameras

New Delhi, Dec. 6: Dead bodies, gory scenes and high-pitched terror reporting will go off TV screens if the government has its way. So will live telecast of rescue operations, as had happened during the recent Mumbai carnage.

The information and broadcasting ministry is preparing “guidelines for reporting on emergency situations” following severe criticism of the way news channels covered last week’s tragedy, during which their viewership jumped by 180 per cent.

The guidelines will follow the BBC in discouraging the use of words like “terrorist”, sources said. TV reporters and newscasters will be advised to use the politically correct “militant” or the more specific “bomber”.

TV channels will also be asked not to relay any threat message or bomb warning without authorities’ consent since such broadcasts can spread panic.

The guidelines will curb the repeated replays of terror visuals, and ban the beaming of phone conversations between the channels and the attackers, as India TV had done during the Mumbai attack.

Officials, however, could not say how far the guidelines could be legally imposed.

“The government is upset with the way a section of the media covered the Mumbai terror strike. Even many ordinary people were shocked,” a ministry official said.

He cited reports that the shrill, round-the-clock coverage had made many viewers panicky, with increased incidence of nervous attacks and insomnia.

Psychologists have said the gory TV images and breathless reporting could leave children traumatised and have a long-term impact on their minds. Foreign security agencies have suggested the live coverage of the commando operations not only distracted the personnel, it provided information to the attackers.

The I&B ministry had on December 3 issued an advisory to news channels to “exercise some degree of caution and restraint as a mark of respect to those who have died in the terror strikes”.

It asked the channels to project normality rather than panic and loss of morale, and said India should be portrayed as a “global power which has full support of the international community”.

Despite the vague wording, the channels rejected any advisory as “completely unacceptable” and are seeking a meeting with the Prime Minister to argue that “self-regulation is best”.

The government may not want to lock horns with news channels ahead of the elections. So the guidelines are likely to be discussed with a committee that will have members from the Editors Guild of India and broadcasters’ associations.