In order to have an empowered and effective media, it is necessary to have aware readers, said journalist and director general of Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), KG Suresh here on Sunday.
He was speaking at a programme on the role of media in good governance organised by the Public Relations Society of India, Dehradun chapter and the Indian Media Centre (IMC) Uttarakhand chapter.
Addressing the gathering at a local hotel, Suresh stressed on the importance of having aware readers. He said that the role of media has become all the more important in current times.
The media has to discharge its major role in influencing the direction taken by society but the media should not restrict its work to publishing or broadcasting negative news.
Positive news and proactive incidents will also have to be given prominent space in order to maintain a balance in the society. Terming negativity as being detrimental to the interests of society, State, nation and the democratic system, he emphasised that the media will also have to focus on positive aspects while also progressing towards self-regulatory systems in the journalistic fraternity.
He said that the media is presently playing the role of a bridge between the government and the public. The media will also have to understand this responsibility so as to ensure that the concept of good governance is implemented in the correct manner. The participation of the public is very important in order to facilitate this, he said. The media also needs to comprehend its responsibility of discharging its proactive role of the media working in developing nation, said the IIMC director general.
Expressing his views on the occasion, Uttarakhand additional director general, vigilance, Ashok Kumar said that the decisions taken by the Government in the interests of the public should reach the public in a positive manner through the media in order to achieve the intended result. The media plays a vital role in forming general public opinion on various issues among other major contributions the media makes.
IMC, Uttarakhand chapter head Anoop Nautiyal spoke on the changing role of media in keeping with the changing times. The media plays the role of making the general public aware of various issues while acting as a communicator between the establishment and the public, he added.