Popular online media organisation Behindwoods announced that they will "no longer cover the funeral ceremonies of public personalities who have passed away".
In a statement, Behindwoods said that the organisation would cover the deaths of public personalities only if a public grievance ceremony is arranged by the families of the bereaved.
Behindwoods apologised for “anything done by our team members in the past has caused inconvenience or sorrow”. The statement added, “We will focus on honouring the lives of those we have lost while strictly maintaining the dignity and privacy of their families.”
Despite their apology, Behindwoods has not taken down the live video coverage of Vijay Antony’s daughter’s death.
The media company said that the decision has come from the realisation that the family and well-wishers of the deceased need privacy.
The statement from Behindwoods came after many called out the insensitivity of the media covering the death by suicide of music composer and actor Vijay Antony’s daughter, Meera. Most of the coverage by the Tamil news channels and YouTube channels was not only invasive and insensitive but also ignored any and all guidelines for reporting deaths by suicide.
Tamil Nadu Child Rights Watch (TNCRW) objected to the publication of 16-year-old Meera's photo by several media houses. Citing the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, which explicitly prohibits the disclosure of the identity of minors who are victims of any form of abuse or crime, including suicide, the NGO reminded media houses about the ethical and legal ramifications of their coverage.
Meanwhile, reacting the the invasion of privacy and reportage of media while covering the demise of Meera, Nadigar Sangam a.k.a The South Indian Artists Association, has issued a statement condemning the behavior and show of insensitivity while covering the news.
The statement condemned the activities of certain media which went overboard in covering the news of Meera’s death, including bombarding the near and dear ones of the late person, with personal questions, for the sake of coverage and information. It also spoke strongly against sensationalising information and hounding the bereaving family and friends in their time of distress.