Itanagar: Like any other profession, the media also needs to have a code of ethics or guidelines on what is right or wrong, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki has said.
He said this while inaugurating the state’s first 24×7 English and Hindi News Channel the ‘North East Live’ here late last evening.
The Chief Minister said media is so powerful and has such tremendous responsibility that if they misuse that power, people will stop trusting them.
To keep the fair name of the profession, media practitioners need to follow certain ethical codes like accuracy, right to privacy, no incitement to violence, no vulgarity or obscenity and no communal reporting, he said.
Sharing his experience on media’s role in developed and developing countries, Tuki said mediapersons mainly focused on projecting the country’s major potentials, rich natural and human resources, culture, tourism and positive stories about its development. There the media has succeeded in creating a positive mindset, a feel-good atmosphere and pushing progress in harmony and peace, he added.
He requested the media, especially those based in the state, to showcase and promote the rich cultural, religious, adventure and natural potentials of the state along with its unique identity of unity in diversity to promote and project Arunachal Pradesh in proper light to the outside world.
Commiting on the welfare, security and development of the state and its people, including media houses and journalists, the Chief Minister said, “I am aware of the situation being faced by the media while serving the Arunachalee society, which is in the transition phase both socially and politically.”
The role of media in a sensitive border state like, Arunachal Pradesh inhabited by numerous tribal communities still deep-rooted to their cultural moorings is huge at a time when modernity is spreading fast with its scientific outlook, he said.
Recalling his early days, he said those days the mass media hadn’t made any inroads into this land-locked state. But, the times changed when in the late 70s the PTI and UNI – the two premier news agencies of the country established their branch offices in Itanagar and information of our state began to appear in newspapers.
These information were taken by newspapers outside the state as there were no newspapers here. This need was fulfilled when the ‘Echo of Arunachal’, first newspaper in the state came out on February 20, 1988 and today, 7 newspapers are published from Itanagar.
In his address, Union DoNER Minister Pawan Shing Ghatowar said the rainbow people of this region have been rolling to contribute towards nation building.
They should be properly focussed by the new channel without running after TRP and ‘I feel with the launching of ‘NE Live’, aspirations of the people in this region would be fulfilled.
Earlier, CMD of NE Live, Ms Takam Moni spoke on the occasion. (UNI)