By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 9: Warning of a digital “takeover” by social media bloggers, IPR Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Wednesday challenged Meghalaya’s traditional press to reclaim its credibility or risk becoming obsolete in an era where “twisting facts” has become a new currency.
Speaking at a programme marking World Press Freedom Day, Rymbui noted that the traditional media landscape is under siege.
He observed that the value of professional journalism has declined since the COVID-19 pandemic, as the public struggles to distinguish between verified reporting and unverified social media content.
The Minister claimed that successive governments in Meghalaya have never misused the press for political gain, contrasting the state’s environment with other parts of India and the world where media restrictions are tightening. However, he balanced this by stating that the freedom of the press must be used to report facts accurately rather than distorting them.
“If anyone wants to twist the fact, this is where the problem begins,” Rymbui said, urging journalists to adapt their approach to remain relevant in a changing information landscape.
The event also featured a panel discussion on the sensitive nature of reporting POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) cases. SCPCR Chairperson Agatha Sangma and other experts briefed journalists on the legal and ethical requirements of covering crimes against minors, stressing the importance of protecting the identity and dignity of victims while maintaining public transparency.
