Ludhiana, July 9
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday declared that his government would soon announce a media policy incorporating the clause regarding medical and group insurance, housing societies and old-age pension for journalists in the state.
While inaugurating the Punjab Chapter of India Media Centre
(IMC) at Ludhiana, Badal said the SAD-BJP government was committed to the welfare of journalists and would fulfil its promises by notifying a comprehensive media policy.
The Chief Minister said the media always played an important role in a democratic society. He said time and again attempts had been made to scuffle the voice of the media and to scuttle the democratic process in the country, but Indian democracy and collective will of the people had failed the designs of such dictatorial forces in the society.
Referring to the dark days of the emergency, Badal said it was SAD leaders who went to jails opposing the emergency and censorship imposed on the media. He said the struggle of SAD paid dividend as Indira Gandhi had to lose the election and the Janta Party in which Akali Dal was also a partner came to power and restored the freedom of the Press.
In a message sent through media adviser to the Chief Minister H S
Bains, information and public relations minister Bikram Singh Majthia said the Punjab government was committed to provide all facilities to the Press to enable them to perform their jobs. He said the department of information and public relations was being strengthen and modernised with the budget of Rs 10 crore to meet the growing requirements of the media.
In his address, Shyam
Khosla, director, IMC, said the print media of Punjab had played a commendable role in the dera controversy. He said the media did not flair up the issue. Khosla said the Press Council of India had become redundant now as it had lost its importance. He said there was a need to replace the Press Council of India with that of a media council to regulate the media in totality.
He regretted that the successive governments at the Centre had failed in bringing Electronic Media Regulatory Bill.
Sanjay
Pandey, Editor, Dainik Bhaskar, said the media would be facing more challenges in the future because the coming era was of electronics. He stressed the need of highlighting positive things in the media besides highlighting problems and negative things prevailing in the society.
Among other who addressed the function included Hira Singh
Gabria, jails, tourism and cultural affairs minister, Mohan Lal, transport minister, H S
Lal, gen-secy, IMC, and Ashok Singhi, All-India organising secretary,
IMC.
Prominent among others who were present on the occasion included Sat Pal
Gosain, deputy speaker, Punjab Assembly, Harish Rai Dhanda, chief parliamentary secretary and Harcharan
Bains, media adviser to the CM.
Earlier, addressing a seminar on `New Techniques of Reporting’ Mr. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said print media should never lose its credibility. He regretted that the dailies of Punjab sold off its news space to contesting candidates in the Punjab elections held recently.
On the occasion, HPS
Walia, head, Journalism and Mass Communication, Punjabi University,
Patiala, regretted that reporters were becoming news-makers. He said this trend was very harmful for all.
State information commissioner
P.P.S. Gill said a reporter must keep the habit of reading dailies, magazines and journals for updating his knowledge. He said there was a dire need of reporters in the fields like agriculture, science and education.
Gill asked the print media to apprise the readers about the RTI
Act.
Ashok Malik, editor, Dainik Tribune, Chandigarh, said a reporter should think
globally. The issues, which were taken globally, may be raised at the local level, he said.
Prof Gurbhajan Gill, Assistant Professor, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication,
PAU, Ludhiana said a reporter should work as a reporter and not as mere stenographer.
