PM asks media to play a watchdog role
Asking the media to play a watchdog role, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday emphasised that criticism by it should not promote cynicism or negativism and instead encourage positive change.
By PTI |
NEW DELHI: Asking the media to play a watchdog role, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday emphasised that criticism by it should not promote cynicism or negativism and instead encourage positive change.
Noting that the Indian media was living through a "golden era", Singh said the quantitative growth witnessed by it had outpaced the qualitative growth, partly because demand has been outstripping supply of well trained journalists.
Doing some plain speaking in his address at the Indian Language Newspapers Association (ILNA) meeting, Singh also spoke of the concern over a threat to the print media due to growth of television and internet.
"We in government do benefit from the criticism and corrective advice of the media. This is necessary in a democracy. However, criticism should not promote cynicism or negativism. It should encourage positive change and give hope to people," he said.
The Prime Minister said that while there was deceleration in the growth of English language publications, Indian language newspapers have bucked the trend and their readership has been growing rapidly.
Observing that the language newspapers had a vital role to play in the transformation of the country, he said "the challenge before you, therefore, is to help take India forward by changing mindsets".
"Modernisation is not westernisation. It is not a rejection of all the values that define our culture. Modernisation should be viewed as a means of dealing with the world as it is changing," Singh said.
Noting that the Indian media was living through a "golden era", Singh said the quantitative growth witnessed by it had outpaced the qualitative growth, partly because demand has been outstripping supply of well trained journalists.
Doing some plain speaking in his address at the Indian Language Newspapers Association (ILNA) meeting, Singh also spoke of the concern over a threat to the print media due to growth of television and internet.
"We in government do benefit from the criticism and corrective advice of the media. This is necessary in a democracy. However, criticism should not promote cynicism or negativism. It should encourage positive change and give hope to people," he said.
The Prime Minister said that while there was deceleration in the growth of English language publications, Indian language newspapers have bucked the trend and their readership has been growing rapidly.
Observing that the language newspapers had a vital role to play in the transformation of the country, he said "the challenge before you, therefore, is to help take India forward by changing mindsets".
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"Modernisation is not westernisation. It is not a rejection of all the values that define our culture. Modernisation should be viewed as a means of dealing with the world as it is changing," Singh said.
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