People's Democracy

 

30TH ANNIVERSARY OF PRAJASAKTI

 

'Media must Highlight Issues

Facing Common People'

 

ISSUES facing the millions of common people of the country must be given priority by the media instead of the present trend of focusing on personalities. The people also must observe and analyse the news emanating from the media with a critical and analytical perspective.

 

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and state secretary B V Raghavulu gave this call while addressing a seminar on “Media and Social Responsibility” organised on the occasion of 30th anniversary of Prajasakti daily in Hyderabad on October 3. The state information and public relations minister J Geetha Reddy participated in the meeting which was presided over by V Krishnaiah, chairman of Prajasakti Sahitee Samstha. S Vinay Kumar, editor of Prajasakti daily and Telakapally Ravi, editor of Prajasakti Book House also spoke on the occasion.

 

Raghavulu in his address emphasised that Prajasakti daily always stood and would continue to stand for the interests of the toiling masses and the poor. He made it clear that there cannot be a media which is not having any partisanship. He said that the news that gets the attention of the media nowadays is that which smells of ‘tit-for-tat’ and which is characterised by aggressive and discourteous language. He reminded that Mahatma Gandhi was also a great journalist and he had upheld the highest values of the profession. He also warned against the entry of the foreign media into the country, which could be a body blow to the interests of our country, its languages, and its people and values.

 

Minister J Geeta Reddy in her address emphasised the need to safeguard values in journalism, which plays an active role in bringing to the notice of the people and the government whatever is bad and good in the society. She expressed her discontent about the unhealthy trends like the sensationalism in the media, which are emanating out of an unhealthy competition. The onus of protecting the society lies on the media too and not just the political leaders, she said on the occasion. She expressed sorrow at the growing unholy trend of political party leaders turning into media owners, which is leading to the decadence in journalistic values. The perpetual bombardment of the audience with stories of violence, atrocities on women etc may in fact be counter productive and may lead to psychological disturbances amongst the viewers, she warned. She proposed that the media must undertake self-regulation. The minister lauded the commendable values for which Prajasakti daily stands for with its slogan of ‘Every letter-on behalf of the people’ and wished the daily a bright future.

 

CHIEF MINISTER’S

MESSAGE

Andhra Pradesh chief minister K Rosiah who was to be the chief guest at the 30th anniversary of Prajasakti could not attend it due to unavoidable reasons. His press secretary read out a message from the chief minister on this occasion. The chief minister in his message lauded Prajasakti for standing by the people in the last 30 years and playing a constructive role by sticking to certain values.

 

Giving his views on the topic of the seminar, 'Media and Social Responsibility' the CM has suggested to the media that it needs to be more accountable than even the legislature. He justified this by stating that today media has more influence on people than the legislatures. He lamented the drop in the inspiring spirit of the media as witnessed during the first decade after independence. Rosaiah lambasted the trend of trying to pass off untruths as facts by a section of the media. Noting that media is part of society and all influences have an impact on the media also, the chief minister felt it as a natural phenomenon. But he wanted the present day media to learn from the inspiring role played by the media during the freedom struggle. It was based on the spirit of serving the people selflessly. He closed with an advice to the media to have strong self-regulation and be guided with people's interests.

 

SEARCH FOR

TRUTH IS THE GOAL

 

V Krishnaiah reminiscencing the path traversed by Prajasakti over these 30 years, since the days of Puchhalapalli Sundarayya and Moturu Hanumantha Rao to this day. Prajasakti is working for the interests of the people and fighting a battle with pen, thus bringing to limelight the problems of the dalits, tribals, fishermen, farmers, artisans etc under the era of globalisation, he reiterated.

 

S Vinay Kumar in his address charged the corporate media of ignoring the real problems faced by the masses of the people in state. He said that Prajasakti is giving extensive coverage to national and international news items, which in general are being neglected by the corporate media. He reminded that some newspapers which have given an extensive coverage to the news on Ayodhya judgment and which also wrote editorials on the same, conveniently ignored the news pertaining to the views expressed by the historians and intellectuals on this  matter.

 

Telakapally Ravi said that Prajasakti is advancing forward with an alternative world view and is fully imbued with democratic values in its journalism. He made it clear that Prajasakti stands for the people, not for commercial interests.

(INN)