The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Media houses urged to constitute ombudsman

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 10, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Media houses urged to constitute ombudsman

Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister for Education M.A. Baby has urged media houses to constitute an ombudsman on the lines of The Hindu to ensure veracity of news.

He was speaking here after distributing the Press Club Journalism Awards for the year 2003-2006 in the city on Wednesday.

The Hindu by appointing a Readers Editor has taken the initiative on the front.

"The readers can now air their views and grievances regarding any report published in the newspaper before him. The practice should be emulated by other newspapers as well," Mr. Baby said.

The Minister lauded the media for acting as a corrective force in the society. "You (mediapersons) have the courage to expose unpleasant truths, which other try to cover-up," he said.

Values

However, like all other sectors, erosion of values has affected journalism, he added.

Unlike courts, which take years to pass a verdict, journalists pass judgements through the media every day, he said. They play a significant role in forming the opinion of the society.

Hence, they should be truthful to themselves and to society, he said. Referring to the trying circumstances under which a journalist operates, Mr. Baby pointed out that even reporting a news fairly and objectively had become an adventurous task. Twenty award winners in various categories were felicitated on the occasion.

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