The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : YSR asks media to observe restraint

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 16, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

YSR asks media to observe restraint

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, JAN. 15 . The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, on Saturday called upon the media to be objective and restrained in reporting events and not to blow issues out of proportion.

Inaugurating the first meeting of the fourth governing council of the Press Academy of Andhra Pradesh, Dr. Reddy said the media should not forget that it was responsible to society and people. "Do not create news where there is none but report news in a realistic manner playing the role of a conscience-keeper".

Unhappy over reports

Dr. Reddy appeared unhappy over the way media "gave undue importance" to the partial burning of the body of the former Prime Minister, P. V. Narasimha Rao. "Seeing the coverage in the electronic and print media, I wanted to order an enquiry but officials told me that there was no lapse at any level. True to what they said, the body got burnt in the scheduled time without any piece of wood being added. The only small mistake was the absence of the staff that would have ensured proper burning."

For such small issue, some newspapers made "double and triple banner headlines, while electronic media kept repeating the shots all through the night". What sort of an impression people would form about us? Is it a good tradition? Was such a coverage necessary, media persons should ponder," he said. "I am not finding fault with anyone but only asking you to spare a thought."

Promises help

He recalled how the former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, had to endure charges of corruption for several years, till the Court found him innocent, saying there was hardly a shred of evidence. The Chief Minister promised all help to the Academy, including hike in allocation for training programmes and funds for archiving and research.

D. Amar, Chairman of the Academy, spoke of commencing courses for electronic media and photojournalists. K. Sreenivasa Reddy, P. Venkateswara Rao and I. Venkata Rao, former Chairmen, spoke.

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