The Hindu : National : Do not resort to `hit-and-run' tactics, PM tells journalists

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Sunday, Sep 25, 2005

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National

Do not resort to `hit-and-run' tactics, PM tells journalists

Staff Correspondent

"Quality has not kept pace with quantitative growth due to competition"

CHANDIGARH: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Saturday that with the rapid expansion of the media in recent times and the race for capturing markets, qualitative development has not kept pace with the quantitative growth as journalists were being encouraged to cut corners, take chances and resort to "hit and run" tactics.

Addressing members of the Chandigarh Press Club on its silver jubilee celebrations, Dr. Singh exhorted journalists to take stock of how competition had impacted quality. "How many mistakes must a journalist make, how many wrong stories, how many motivated columns before professional clamps are placed? How does the financial media deal with market moving stories that have no basis in fact? These are just a few questions, which the nation expects the media to answer."

Special praise

However, Dr. Singh paid rich tributes to the media professionals in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir for standing up to terrorism and anti-national forces. Noting that a free press was the ultimate check against the tyranny of authority, the Prime Minister recalled that many journalists were willing to pay with their lives to defend the freedom of the press against terrorism, bigotry and sectarianism.

Speaking on the occasion, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh assured all assistance from his government to set up a Media Tower proposed by the Club.

His Haryana counterpart, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, lauded the Club for playing a highly responsible role in raising issues related to the weakness within the administrative set-up and remaining very active in articulating social issues.

"Media has larger purpose"

PTI reports:

Inaugurating the 125th anniversary celebrations of the English daily The Tribune, Dr. Singh that newspapers must have a larger role in shaping public opinion. ``Newspapers cannot be mere platforms of entertainment and gossip... they cannot be mere purveyors of prejudice and petulance. They must have a larger purpose. Above all, they must contribute to a nation's intellectual vibrancy.''

He called upon politicians, bureaucrats, intellectuals, the media and all those who influence public opinion to work together to ensure that the country succeeds and remains on the path of development. ``The modernisation of the mind must accompany the modernisation of the economy.''

He quoted from a speech of the founder of The Tribune, Dayal Singh Majithia, in 1881 before the launch of the newspaper: ``Down with shams and hypocrisies which played such a prominent role in the life of the Indian people! Weed out old and worn out customs, stupid prejudices and superstitious beliefs. Do away with poverty, misery and ignorance and pull down the false gods. March with the times, feel the good...." This inspired everyone today for our world is still in need of them, Dr. Singh said.

He also released a special supplement of the newspaper ``India - The Tasks Ahead.''

The Tribune Trust Chairman, Justice (retd) R. S. Pathak, said the paper ``will strictly follow the principles detailed by Majithia keeping in mind the national and global changes''.

Edition from Jalandhar

Editor-in-Chief H. K. Dua recalled the history of the daily from Lahore in undivided India and its shifting to Shimla and Ambala after the Partition before finally making Chandigarh its home.

He said the daily would launch an edition from Jalandhar next month and the celebrations to mark 125 years would also be held in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi. The Postal Department would bring out a stamp to mark the occasion and it would be released by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in New Delhi.

A book containing an updated history of the paper, an anthology and a biography of Majithia, was also being brought out, Mr. Dua added.

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