Media must take on commercialisation as challenge: Haryana CM

New Delhi, May 15 (UNI) Lamenting that journalism was being fast reduced to a mere profit-driven commercial enterprise, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said both newspapers and electronic media, in their unbridled race for 'breaking news', at times tended to give a lop-sided presentation of news and views.

Inaugurating the Silver Jubilee function of UNI Workers Union at the news agency's headquarters here, Mr Hooda said a major problem confronting the media in the existing scenario of commercialisation was how to maintain their impartiality and objectivity.

Mr Hooda, who was the chief guest at the function, said even in the face of commercialisation and its attendant problems, journalists and media establishments should never compromise on high ethical standards, impartiality and objectivity, the hallmarks of the Fourth Estate.

Cautioning against the pitfalls of the unrestrained competition for 'breaking news', he said journalists at times tended to overlook the events in all their dimensions.

''Journalists should exercise utmost caution about publishing those news and events which may adversely impact the society and the country. If sensitive news are published by taking into account their pros and cons, national unity and social reconstruction will only be strengthened,'' he reasoned out.

Reminding the journalists of the invaluable contributions of the media during the freedom struggle, he appealed to them to play a constructive role in strengthening democratic impulses and preserving and furthering the interests of the country.

''During the freedom movement, journalists made their profession a mission to launch a struggle that shook the very foundations of the mighty British Empire,'' he said, observing that journalism in the post-independence phase had become subservient to the market forces.

About the role of news agencies, the Chief Minister said their importance had assumed an added dimension in the backdrop of publication of newspapers in districts and mofussil towns.

''Even in the face of a number of obstacles and constraints, news agencies, especially UNI, have been able to maintain high standards of credibilty and impartiality,'' he observed.

Mr Hooda also said UNI did not have any parallels in strengthening the democratic traditions in the country through creating a dialogue with the common people in their own language and idiom.

UNI General Manager M K Laul, National Union of Journalists (NUJ) President Nand Kishor Trikha, UNI Workers Union President Mohan Lal Joshi and General Secretary Mukesh Kaushik, PTI Employees Federation and Confederation of Newspaper and News Agencies Employees Organisation General Secretary M S Yadav, Times of India Union Secretary Roopchand and UNI South India Federation General Secretary H V Jagdish were among those present on the occasion.

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