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Bhopal:
Vice President of India Mohammed Hamid Ansari has stressed the
urgent need to regulate media while expressing deep concern and
anguish over "paid news" phenomena which has raised its ugly head.
Any discussion on the issue of regulation of media should not
avoid "paid news" issue. The failure of the media industry and the
Press Council of India in bringing out report on the issue of
"paid news" indicated that when it came to self-criticism the
entire industry becomes silent and inert. "It is the duty of media
to take an initiative to ward off different concerns associated
with the profession", he remarked.
Vice President Ansari, who was the chief guest, expressed the
above views after inaugurating the two-day "Language Journalism
Festival - Prabhash Prasang", organized in the memory of noted
Hindi journalist Prabhash Joshi at Indore on Friday. The 'Prabhash
Prasang' was organised by Indore Press Club and Prabhash Parampara
Nyas on 75th birth day of late Prabhash Joshi. It was attended by
Governor Rameshwar Thakur, Union Minister of State for
Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla, Madhya Pradesh Public
Relations Minister Laxmikant Sharma, former Union Minister Suresh
Pachouri, Mayor Krishna Murari Moghe, Prabhash Parampara Nyas
Chairman Dr. Namvar Singh.
Continuing Ansari said that the journalism is also undergoing an
amazing metamorphosis amid the transformation of technology and
economy. It is an urgent need to have a mechanism to review the
status and direction of media. He said India is among the few
democracies without active media watch groups engaged in objective
analyses of the media. With more than 50,000 newspapers and a
large number of TV channels operating in the country there is an
urgent need to have a regulatory authority for media. The Press
Council of India, the only constitutional and quasi-judicial body
for regulating media, lacked the powers for punishing those who
violate norms or enforce its directives and the civil society also
could not regulate it either. He lamented that the ownership of
print and electronic media was in the hands of a few. "This
monopoly should stop", he added.
He said: "All categories of regulation or binding guidelines must
be strengthened with a view to securing and defending public good
- by government, the media organization and the industry, civil
society, advertisers and sponsors and the audience and the
readership of the media".
Ansari moaned that there was no
national media policy. The issues of multiple-ownership of media
too had not been debated in the country, he added.
He pointed out that in countries such as the USA and France when
intrusive content regulation is minimized people turn to the
judiciary that address their grievances in a reasonable time
period. Unfortunately, the same cannot happen in India due to
sluggish justice delivery system. In most countries rules on
cross-ownership are intended to prevent emergence of monopolies
and cartels and promote competition. In India a handful of media
conglomerates span the entire media spectrum. Its impact on
moulding public opinion, and safeguarding public interest is a
moot question, he added.
Ansari sad when media portrayal is of a life that is always good,
optimistic, going with the tide of those with discretionary
spending power and their causes and pet themes, the role of the
media as a defender and upholder of public interest relegates to
the background and its commercial persona takes over.
When media space is treated as real estate or as airline seats for
purpose of revenue maximization strategies, and when media
products are sold as jeans or soaps for marketing purposes,
editors end up giving way to marketing departments, he opined.
He said that the country saw a great change in society, economy
and state ruling sector in last few years. Recalling the memory of
late Mr. Prabhash Joshi, he said that the journalism career of
Joshi is an inspiring for all the journalists. He was not only a
successful editor but also a voice of common man. He used pen for
writing simple language to raise the issues of common man and
barely used idioms. He was a strong upholder of moral values and
transparency in media.
Meanwhile, Vice-President Hamid Ansari released books “Prabhash
Parva” edited by Suresh Sharma, “Yadon Mein Prabhash” edited by
Anil Jain and Pravin Khariwal and “Shabdo Ke Darvesh” edited by
Public Relations officer and senior writer Dr. Swati Tiwari.
Madhya Pradesh Governor Rameshwar Thakur, throwing light on the
life of late Joshi, said that the true journalists are
path-showers of the country. He said that journalists should
maintain credibility and need of their writings. He said that the
journalism as of today is so relevant as it was in the past. The
journalists should lead the country in right direction and
disseminate the national issues to the masses. He also appreciated
Indore Press Club for holding such annual function in memory of
late Joshi.
Speaking on the occasion Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mr. Shivraj
Singh Chouhan announced a state-sports award of Rs. one lakh in
memory of journalist late Prabhash Joshi.
Chouhan has said that corruption is a big challenge and second is
terrorism. He said that development rate is explained in proud
manner but a thought should be spared to know whether common man
is benefited by this growth or not. That cannot be deemed as
development of the country unless common man gets benefit of it.
It is big challenge to benefit common man with development. He
called upon the media to raise the issue of Aam-Admi.
Chouhan also made advocacy for holding general and assembly
elections together and said that government should bear the
expenditure of elections so as to curb corruption. He attacked
credibility of media, paid news, objectionable advertisements and
T.V serial poisoning culture. He said that central government and
media should take steps in this regard.
He announced to rename the road from collectorate to Harisiddhi as
Prabhash Joshi road. He said that legacy of Prabhash Joshi is a
heritage of Madhya Pradesh.
Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla
said that Joshi was a complete journalist who wrote on various
issues.
Public Relations Minister Laxmikant Sharma, in his welcome speech,
said that the august presence of Vice-President Ansari made the
occasion glorious. He welcomed the Governor, Chief Minister, Union
Minister and others.
Former Union Minister Suresh Pachouri said that the function in
memory of late Joshi is an inspiring event. He said Joshi played
his journalistic skills with honesty and without fear. Joshi
brought the laurels to Madhya Pradesh by virtue of his competency
in journalism.
On this occasion, BJP State President and Rajya Sabha member
Prabhat Jha, Minister of State for health Mahendra Hardia,
journalists from the state and outside and eminent persons were
present on this occasion.
(pervezbari@eth.net)
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