SHILLONG, Dec 22: Senior member of the Press Council of India (PCI), Jaishankar Gupta questioned the national media for failing to highlight the real issues afflicting the Northeastern region.
Speaking on the topic ‘PCI role in ensuring journalistic ethical practices’ during the academic session as part of the National Press Day commemoration and 30th anniversary of the Shillong Press Club here on Thursday, Gupta said the national media is too focussed on how to create division in the country by creating hatred between Hindus and Muslims, and Hindus and Christians, and so on.
According to him, the media is not showing real issues that concern society due to the craze for TRP, a metric that signifies a programme’s success on television screens.
“But society needs a fearless and independent media,” he said.
Gupta said former Supreme Court judge, Justice B.N. Srikrishna had rightly stated that a judge and a journalist have to necessarily be independent, and if they falter then the whole of democracy gets shaken up.
Stating that the field of journalism is going through a very difficult phase, he said the people who are committed to this profession should not lose hope.
He said many journalists are tortured and jailed for speaking against the ruling government.
According to him, there are many journalists who have been booked under the sedition law or were accused of being a traitor.
“What is important as a journalist is to stand for the truth and to question whatever is wrong even during these worse situations,” the PCI senior member said. (Contd on P-4)
National media ignoring…
(Contd from P-3) He pointed out that the country has a prime minister who has not addressed the press for the past eight-and-a-half years.
Stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses citizens through the programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Gupta said the PM is therefore not listening to the ‘mann ki baat’ (inner thoughts) of others.
Toward the end of the event, Commissioner and Secretary Pravin Bakshi delivered the thematic address, Deputy Director General NIC Timothy Dkhar spoke on the ‘Use of e-Governance for Nation Building’ and Sub Divisional Officer (Sadar), Hema Nayak spoke on the ‘Role of the Electorate in Nation Building’ during the academic session.