New Delhi: Reporters WithoutBorders, the Paris-based international non-governmental organization thatadvocates for freedom of the press, has praised the role played by India'smedia but warned of journalists getting caught in the crossfire in separatistor other revolts.

 Also known by its French name of Reporters sans frontiere,the group said in its just-released 2007 report,"The Indian media isdynamic and protective of its freedoms and plays a crucial role in thecountry's democratic system. However, in states shaken by separatist or Maoistrebellions, journalists are caught in the crossfire."

It said that privately-owned television stations, whichspecialise in spectacular scoops, "made some very serious ethical blundersin 2006."

RSF noted that in August, journalists on local stations in Bihar state purchased petrol and matches for a desperateman so that he could commit suicide on camera.

But parliamentarians are determined to amend the broadcastlaw chiefly to curb press sting operations to entrap people.

"The media only reflects public anger these operationsshow political corruption and rackets that are too common in our society,"said sources.

"With more than 60 million subscribers, cable newschannels have taken over as the country's leading media," said the report.

It noted that "the New Delhi government" in November 2006promulgated a revolutionary law on community radios which opened the way tolong-awaited development of local media.

But at the start of the year, a local news and musicstation, Raghav FM Mansoorpur 1, launched without a licence by a youngequipment repair man in Bihar State, was closed down under "the archaicIndian Telegraphs Act", it added.

RSF said the Indian federal government awarded severalhundred licences for privately-run FM stations in 2006, after years ofprotectionism. BBC Worldwide obtained seven licences for the country's majorcities.

"The intrepidness of Indian journalists often leads toreprisals. At least 65 were assaulted or received death threats from policeofficers, criminals, company heads or political militants during theyear," commented the report.

Two journalists were murdered while doing their job during2006. Prahlad Goala, working on a regional daily in AssamStatein the north-east, was killed after writing articles exposing nepotism on thepart of a local official.

Also, in the north-east, a bureau chief escaped a murderattempt by an armed communist group. A young correspondent for a regionalnewspaper in MaharashtraState, central India, Arun Narayan Dekate, wasstoned to death by gangsters he had named in his articles.

The authorities in ChhattisgarhState, east-central India, badlyhit by a Maoist revolt, sacrificed press freedom to the fight against this new 'terrorism'.

A security order was adopted which allowed imprisonmentfrom one to three years, for journalists meeting Maoist rebels, it noted.

A score of reporters were assaulted or threatened with deathby police officers or members of local militia supposed to counter the Maoistinfluence. At least two correspondents on the daily Hind Sat were forced togive up their work for fear of reprisals, commented RSF.

It argued that the press "did not really benefit fromthe Indian-Pakistani rapprochement in Kashmir."Some increasingly radical separatist groups threatened suicide attacks on localcable television operators. Fearing for their safety, some of them decided tostop broadcasting channels considered "obscene" by the armed groups.

Journalists were also targeted by these same groups. InJune, Shujaat Bukhari, correspondent in Kashmirfor the national daily The Hindu, escaped a murder attempt by armed men.

"Indians security services have also been implicated inattacks against the press, as in the assault, in September, on three reporters,who were beaten by police officers in the streets of Srinagar," the RSF argued.

Elsewhere, Abdul Rouf, of the Srinagar News, and his wifeZeenat Rouf, were arrested in November in disturbing circumstances. 

Photojournalist, Muhammad Maqbool Khokar has been held sinceSeptember 2004, under an emergency public security law. "Despite calls for his release from thejustice system and the National Human Rights Commission, police have refused tolet him go," said the Indiachapter of this global report.