The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : No curbs on the media: VS

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Tuesday, Nov 17, 2009
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

No curbs on the media: VS

Special Correspondent

To protect the freedom of the press

‘Controversial circular issued on journalists’ request’
‘Denial of information not
to be tolerated’

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State government is committed to protecting the freedom of the press. The recent campaign about the government imposing curbs on the freedom was baseless, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has said.

He was inaugurating a seminar on the ‘Changing face of Indian media’ organised by the Trivandrum Press Club and the Public Relations Department (PRD) here on Monday as part of the National Press Day observance.

Mr. Achuthanandan said an official circular issued as per the service rules was being cited as an attempt to infringe on media freedom. The circular was issued on the basis of requests from mediapersons that there was no regular system for providing information and hence it was decided to issue all press releases through the PRD. There were complaints about the misuse of facilities by those outside the fraternity, he said.

The government will not tolerate any attempt to deny information to genuine mediapersons, but it should be authentic too. Media and its representatives should be conscious about the misuse of facilities, including the press sticker on vehicles. Though the media is being led by different interests, the journalists are functioning with a social commitment in exposing corruption and other misdeeds. Committed journalists are often being targeted, but they would get the recognition of the public. They are unlikely to retreat fearing the resistance of vested interests, the Chief Minister said.

Instances of mediapersons being on the payrolls of the corrupt have been reported from North India. Certain media organisations running the campaign of certain candidates and parties after collecting advertisement charge too had been reported. It had been alleged that journalists and managements were involved in such activities. He called upon journalists to ensure that such unsavoury practices did not occur in the State.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition G. Karthikeyan said the media should have a balanced approach in reporting incidents. The discrepancies in reporting the murder of businessman Paul M. George was a case in point, he said. Kerala Press Academy chairman S.R. Sakthidharan offered felicitations. Press Club president M.M. Subair and secretary Biju Chandrasekhar also spoke.

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