Admn should not hide facts from media:Administrative Reforms Panel

New Delhi, July 6 (UNI) The Second Administrative Reforms Commission has recommended that the administration should provide immediate and accurate information to the media so that no place was left for speculative and sensational reporting.

Such a response from the administration was a must, particularly during developments affecting public order.

It undrerlined that in technologically advanced environment of today control over media was neither feasible nor desirable.

Providing continuous and relible information requires capability building at various levels of administrative machinery, the Commission said in its report submitted recently.

''To ensure that government officials interact with the media in a professional manner, media management modules should be integrated in various training programmes,''says the report.

While noting that in hierarchical structures within the government interaction with the media was generally regulated to avoid confusion and contradiction, it said officials should be designated at appropriate levels to interact with the media and their accessibility should be ensured.

The Report said the media played a very important part in creating perception about the abilities of the State.

''While maintining public order is an important aspect of the state's effort to earn the approval of its people, equally important for the purpose of legitimacy is the people's perception regarding its ability to do so...It is here that the positive role of the media comes into play,'' said the Commission.

The Commission noted that in in today's environment when there was multiplicity of players and technology could bring global developments to households, it was necessary to ensure that media too was prompt responsive, accurate and objective in its reporting.

''In the context of maintaining of public order, the positive role of the media can go a long way in preventing rumour mongering and incorrect and mischievious coverage by a small section of the media which could be supportive of partisan elements,'' it said.

The Commission has also advised the Government to constitute cells at the distruct level for analysing media reports about matters of public importance.

UNI