NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, NOV 16
The Press Council of India celebrated the National Press Day on the theme “The Media’s Role in Nation Building” at SCOPE convention centre in New Delhi on Wednesday. Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur was the chief guest at the event and released the “Norms of Journalistic Conduct, 2022”. Celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav marking 75th year of India’s independence, the dignitaries deliberated on the topic ‘the Role of Media in Nation Building’ to appreciate, analyse and ascertain the plausible ways that may pave the way towards preserving the standards of Indian media which is celebrated as the fourth pillar of the Democracy.
It is for media to reflect and self-introspect on how to immunise itself from the virus of Infodemic which continues to inflict malicious disinformation on societies across geographies.
-Sh @ianuragthakur #NationalPressDay pic.twitter.com/Vg23NaCnHL
— Office of Mr. Anurag Thakur (@Anurag_Office) November 16, 2022
- Gujarat Journalists Union president B R Prajapati urges Centre to implement ‘one nation, one pension’ for journalists
- Union I&B Minister, Anurag Singh Thakur releases “Norms of Journalistic Conduct, 2022”
- Government has made the information landscape more robust by streamlining governance norms through simplified and transparent processes: Thakur
- “Government wants to see media play a greater and more constructive role in building a New India as our nation’s stature rises globally”
- “Government was prompt in recognising the important role played by journalists as frontline warriors during the Pandemic”
- “Media must emphasise on informed journalism, that is both passionate and purposeful for our citizens”
- Press is the 4th pillar of democracy and it is not just news but it also ensures that the government policies and schemes reach the intended beneficiaries: MoS, Dr. L Murugan
.@PressCouncil_IN, "தேசத்தை கட்டியெழுப்புவதில் ஊடகங்களின் பங்கு" என்ற கருப்பொருளில் #NationalPressDay கொண்டாடியது.
▪️மத்திய அமைச்சர் @ianuragthakur “பத்திரிகை நடத்தை விதிமுறைகள், 2022” ஐ வெளியிட்டார்.@Murugan_MoS @MIB_India @PIB_India @airnews_Chennai @DDNewsChennai pic.twitter.com/lxUXByjc3p
— PIB in Tamil Nadu (@pibchennai) November 16, 2022
National Press Day – the 16th of November – is symbolic of a free and responsible press in India. This was the day on which the Press Council of India started functioning as a moral watchdog to ensure that not only did the press maintain the high standards expected from this powerful medium but also that it was not fettered by the influence or threats of any extraneous factors. Though there are several Press or Media Councils world over, the Press Council of India is a unique entity in as much as this is the only body to exercise an authority even over the instruments of the State in its duty to safeguard the independence of the press.
Youngsters are attracted to new media and that is how they consume social media. There is a shift toward new media but the point remains of credibility and that is the biggest challenge before the government. Because we are a country of 1.4 billion people: Secy., @MIB_India pic.twitter.com/czr7rzB3Y1
— PIB in Tamil Nadu (@pibchennai) November 16, 2022
Delivering the inaugural address, Anurag Singh Thakur begin by complimenting Swapan Dasgupta for his erudite views, expressed eloquently, on the theme of today’s deliberations – “The Media’s Role in Nation Building”. The Union Minister stated “This is a solemn occasion to pay our humble tribute to stalwarts who made the Press a powerful voice and a worthy Fourth Pillar of our democracy.” He further added “The intimate involvement of towering leaders of our struggle for independence with the Press propelled them to ensure Freedom of the Press was enshrined through constitutional provisions. The birth of the Press Council of India came much later, but the impulse was the same: To ensure democracy is safeguarded and strengthened.”
The Union Minister further said that “regrettably, within a decade of the Press Council of India coming into existence as a Lighthouse for Press Freedom, it was abolished during the Emergency along with the suspension of Fundamental Rights. It is a matter of pride for me that the council was revived through a fresh Act of Parliament steered by none other than Shri LK Advani Ji as Minister for Information & Broadcasting. As a nation we have not looked back since then, though there have been setbacks by way of unacceptable restrictions like those imposed by 66A of the IT Act. It was justifiably struck down by the Supreme Court. Over the last 75 years, as democracy has flourished in our great nation, so has media.”
The Union Minister added “that journalists in metro cities must honour counterparts in Darbhanga, Puri, Saharanpur, Bilaspur, Jalandhar, Kochi and so on – your friends should be honoured and given credit. The Story should matter not the location or station! Paying off stringers well, awarding them and improving their confidence is important for a vibrant media landscape. Further, keeping pace with the world, press council needs to emphasise the promotion of diverse views and protection of women in news, along with transgender representation.”
Thakur expressed happiness that Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Government has made the information landscape more robust by streamlining governance norms through simplified and transparent processes & wants to see media play a greater and more constructive role in building a New India as our nation’s stature rises globally. The Union Minister said that “as with all things that expand with speed, the expansion of media in India merits a cautionary note. Much of the media governance structure is self-regulatory. But self-regulatory does not mean licence to err and err intentionally. That would erode media credibility. Bias and prejudice must be abjured. It is for media to reflect and self-introspect on how to immunise itself from the virus of Infodemic which continues to inflict malicious disinformation on societies across geographies. A related twin-concern is that of paid news and fake news. Similarly, clickbait journalism, made fashionable by social media, contributes nothing to media credibility; it contributes even less to nation-building. Media must not allow the space for responsible, fair and balanced journalism be occupied by others.”
The Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Dr. L. Murugan addressing the gathering said “November 16th is a symbolic day when Press Council of India started working to ensure the highest standards of Journalism with freedom and responsibility without any fear or favour. Emergency was dark days for press and we cannot forget that those who wrote against the government were kept in jail for years. Calling the media voice of the voiceless, Dr. Murugan said “press is the 4th pillar of democracy and it is not just news but it also ensures that the government policies and schemes reach the intended beneficiaries”. He further said that “we have entered the “Amrit kaal” and are marching fast towards becoming a progressive and prosperous nation and the government is working together with all with the aim to make India a developed nation.
Swapan Dasgupta said “the internet and the social media has changed the entire media landscape. Mainstream media, such as the newspaper and television, have seen a significant decline all over the world. Globally, that has fallen by as much as 11%. Mainstream media no longer has the monopoly of providing news. Shri Dasgupta further said “niche journalism is on the rise and people are looking for news such as health, science, medicine, sports other than politics dominating the mainstream media. He said the digital media crosses national boundaries. “As India’s strategic footprint, including commercial and economic footprint, increases across the world, unless we can complement that with the media Made in India, based in India’, carrying Indian values which can take it forward, we would be somewhere lacking in our entire quality of that approach,” Dasgupta added.
Implement ‘one nation, one pension’ policy for journalists
Gujarat Journalists Union president BR Prajapati on Wednesday conveyed his wishes to all journalists on the occasion of National Press Day.
According to GJU chief, the smallest state of Arunachal Pradesh has been paying the highest monthly pension of Rs 25,000 and it is followed by Rajasthan Government with Rs 15,000. In all, 33 states and Union Territories have been paying pension and other welfare measures for journalists. In the Model State of Gujarat, the GJU has been pursuing the same since 2018 but the state government is non-committal on this so far. Our major demand was for a uniform pension policy for all journalists covered under the Working Journalists Act, irrespective of accreditation.
“We are asking for Rs 30,000 inflation-linked pension per month for journalists who have attained 60 years of age. We are also demanding for a change in the Working Journalists Act that covers only newspapers, to include electronic and web media journalists. Once that is done, the new wage board can be applied for all,” Prajapati added.
