JUSTICE RANJANA P DESAI
As the chairperson of the Press Council of India, I deal with print media. Every day there are a number of complaints regarding breach of journalistic ethics, allegations of fake news, defamatory news, sensationalisation of news for commercial purposes, allegations of ill treatment being meted out to journalists etc.
Many of the complaints have political overtones. Some try to settle their personal disputes. There is a lot of negativity in all this. We censure them, warn them, admonish them, with the hope that things will improve. Recently, we completed a winter internship programme in the Press Council. There were some young, budding journalists. After the conclusion of the programme I gave them the usual lecture on journalistic conduct and ethics.
Who should be blamed?
I told them that truth alone should come in newspapers. One boy from Assam stood up and asked, “Even a journalist has to live. If I just give some uninteresting news, who will read my news report? Will the editor keep me?” That set me thinking.
These are real issues. Who should be blamed for this? Is it the public taste which is to blame, or the editor? The invitation to today’s event introduced me to something new.
Something called developmental journalism, which has no negativity, which is always constructive. I learned that in the past, Blitz India has made a remarkable contribution to the field of developmental journalism. It has touched on various issues, such as local environmental issues, including geopolitical issues and brought to the fore necessary information covering ideas, policies and activities that lead to improvement in the lives of people.
What is really important today is development because it’s going to solve problems like unemployment and that’s why it needs to be encouraged.
Stress on new-age policies
Blitz India must have editions in all the cities of India; it has already crossed the boundaries of India by launching Blitz India UK. By launching this legal issue it is also spreading legal knowledge on development issues and making laws more accessible.
It’s a great step. I’m sure Blitz India will lay stress on new-age policies and new socio-economic goals. ‘Building a new nation’ is the tagline of Blitz India. If it indeed highlights that tagline and highlights the developmental issues and projects future development prospects of India, it will do a great service to the people of India.
We call ourselves a developing country. When will we call ourselves a developed country? That must happen soon. Who can be a catalyst in this agenda, but a developmentcentric weekly like Blitz India. I wish it all the success at national and international level
