Media should play a bigger role in Asom- Mooshahary

Guwahati, Mar 27 (UNI) Media can play a bigger role in this region which has been experiencing unrest and upsurge of social movements, Asom's chief information commissioner Ranjit Mooshahary said at a seminar here today.

Speaking at a day-long seminar on the role of media and development of North East India, organised by the Assam Institute of Management at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, Mr Mooshahary said the region is complex because of multi-ethnicity and diverse socio-economic and cultural settings.

''The role of media in the development of the North East has to be examined in this context. It can play a bigger role in building the society,'' he said.

The seminar viewed that the media in the North East was active in bringing out reports of poor governance, vested interests, malpractices and corruption. However, it noted that the politicians, bureaucrats and government were indifferent. They also observed that investigative reporting in the region was not being rewarded properly.

Other speakers at the seminar said the media could take up the role of protecting the nature and stress on commercial utilisation of resources as the region had failed to attract private investment.

''Media has to examine the truth whether insurgency really stalled development of the region,'' they said.

Media has to act as a mirror as well as mould the society. Media managers, they said, had to see their commercial interest but not at the cost of being insensitive.

''The proliferation of the media in the region reflects a healthy sign and the media has to ensure that this is not simply a business opportunity ,'' the speakers said.

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