NEW DELHI — Add another casualty to the list of victims of the Mumbai attacks: the credibility of India's 24-hour television news channels.
In the wake of the November assault that killed more than 170 people, India's TV channels, often accused of sensationalism, have come in for rebuke, accused of informing their viewers so quickly and completely that the alleged masterminds in Pakistan were able to tell the attackers what Indian security personnel were planning and when.
The uproar has intensified a long-simmering debate over whether the government should exert some control over coverage in the interest of "responsible" news media -- or stay clear amid fears of the censorship seen during Indira Gandhi's period of emergency rule in the 1970s.
"I feel the media should operate under certain guidelines," said Sonali Bhatia, 26, a teacher in New Delhi. "Then again, there shouldn't be complete interference. Freedom of speech is essential."
Since the mid-1990s, when regulations on India's state-run broadcast media were first loosened and private channels allowed, the number of TV networks has grown steadily, furiously competing for eyeballs.
Last week, after protracted howls from media groups, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signaled that the oversight role played by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting wouldn't change any time soon, easing broadcaster concern.
One thing that sparked criticism of the Mumbai attack news coverage was the live broadcast of a commando helicopter assault on the roof of the Nariman House Jewish center, which detractors say eliminated the element of surprise and undercut the operation.
Also under fire is the breathless tone of some reports. One correspondent appeared so agitated in her reports, one critic wrote, that "she seemed to hyperventilate on camera."
"The media acted completely hysterically," said author Arundhati Roy, whose novel "The God of Small Things" won the prestigious Man Booker Prize. "And it orchestrated middle-class anger against all politicians. I'm the last person to want to defend politicians, but it was a little frightening."
Critics also point to the coverage of another story, the killing of a 14-year-old girl, Arushi Talwar, who was found with her throat slit. When her father was arrested, news channels screamed "Killer Father!" only to see him released two months later for lack of evidence.
