Veteran journalist and editor-in-chief Vinod Mehta, said that media must moderate the exploitation of caste, religion, region and language by political outfits.
Accepting the existence of divisive forces as part of democratic process, veteran journalist and editor-in-chief Vinod Mehta, said that media must moderate the exploitation of caste, religion, region and language by political outfits by providing context to uphold national integration.
These forces are getting stronger in society, which does not augur well for the country.
Mehta was speaking at a day-long national symposium on 'Media and National Integration,' organised by the Department of Communication and Journalism, Osmania University on the 61st death anniversary of the father of the nation Mahatma
Gandhi and the Andhra Pradesh Press Academy.
Quoting Noble Laureate Amartya Sen, Mehta said that Indians are lucky to be able to carry multiple identities without compromising national identity. When the country is aiming for a high economic growth, the emergence of these forces will pose a great threat to national integrity.
"We can't be in a state of denial or false optimism about the existence of these forces. We cannot be complacent and must put up a united fight," he warned.
"There is nothing wrong that the print and electronic media pursuing ratings and circulation but it needs to be tempered with social responsibility," Mehta said. He advocated the need for self-regulation of the 24-hour news channels that get excited at live coverage not recognizing its social repercussions.
"In fact, reporting raw images tends to excerbate wounds," he said.
He advised the media to put things in right perspective along with analysis and context. Speaking of excitement in the TV newsrooms, he said, "India does not want a war. Pakistan doesn't want a war, but media want a war!".
Citing instances of recent major events like the Mumbai attack, media analyst, Sevanti Ninan, emphasized the need for self-regulation of media and the difficulties in achieving it. In contrast to the days of Doordarshan monopoly, in the age of satellite commnication, media instead of promoting national integration is commercialising nationalism.
Press Acdemy chairman, D Amar in his presentation said that media business is unlike any other business. It has to generate profits but must also have social responsibility. Media must show greater sensitivity in dealing with issues of diversity.
Prof Jyotirmaya Sharma, former journalist and Professor of Political Science, University of Hyderabad, chaired the symposium.
Over a hundred journalists and the alumni of Osmania Journalism Association also participated.
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