Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Aug 1: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, who has also been a noted columnist and freelance journalist, today said that Indian media is constantly evolving and will ultimately reach its optimum level.
Addressing, as chief guest, the valedictory session of the two-week Online Refresher Course on “Role of Journalism, Media & Cinema for Nation and Generation Building” organized by Delhi University, Dr Jitendra Singh said that Indian Media is constantly evolving and the best of it is yet to come.
Underlining the need for the media to remain both critical and credible, he said that the touchstone is the credibility of criticism. Referring to the old dictum of “Report is Sacred, Comment is privilege”, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that the sudden explosion of media, particularly TV channels in India, has somewhat taken the toll of this time tested principle. He said that though the media is evolving in India for a century, but the pace of evolution has increased in the last two decades and evolution is both vertical and horizontal acquiring a multi-faceted form.
Referring to the role of Electronic and Social Media, Dr. Jitendra Singh observed that incidentally every news is thrown up as a Breaking News and often the Breaking News is also accompanied by Interrogation Report and quite often also accompanied by the Judgement, all served in a single package. He said that it will take a few more years for the Indian media to evolve to optimum levels where it would be able to determine its priorities and ultimate bottom lines.
Referring to Western Media, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that they have had a longer period of evolution and cited the example of Corona pandemic. In the news bulletins of TV channels of certain European countries though afflicted with Corona in much bigger magnitude, the news about Corona is just one of the many news whereas on Indian TV channels we were being served 24X7 with Corona, till it was taken over by an unfortunate incident involving a cine actor.
Striking an optimistic note however , Dr Jitendra singh said, the Indian media is constantly evolving and the best of Indian media is yet to come.
In his address Ruben Banerjee, Editor-in-Chief of the Outlook Magazine said that the arrival of Social Media has thrown up new challenges and opportunities for all. He said, more than 80 percent of media in India is in the unorganized sector and also hinted at some kind of regulatory mechanism for Social Media.
In his address Professor K.G.Suresh, a media professional and former DG of IIMC, Delhi said that the workshop covered all aspects of media, both Physical and Digital, a blended form of Journalism. He informed that in the current workshop participants from Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari took part.
Professor Brij Kishore Kuthiala, Chairman, Higher Education Council, Government of Haryana, in his remarks said the media landscape is changing very fast.
Dr. Geeta Singh, Director of CPDHE, (Centre for Professional Development in Higher Education), Delhi University recalled the role of journalism during the freedom movement in building public opinion against the British Imperialism and its emergence in the post-Independence era. She emphasised neutrality in news presentation.
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