Responsible media houses needed: Speaker

Kochi, Sep 8 (UNI) Kerala Assembly Speaker K Radhakrishnan today said the journalists would be able to discharge their social commitments only if there were responsible media houses in this market-driven age.

Addressing a gathering after presenting the state media awards-2006 here, Mr Radhakrishnan said a strong and healthy media was necessary to take democracy on the right track.

''Journalism has become market-driven with the advent of globalisation and time has come to ponder over whether the Fourth Estate is able to discharge its social commitment in this era, '' he noted.

The Speaker exhorted the relentless efforts of the media to augment the cause of the Kerala society.

The Speaker gave away awards to Sajith Parameswaran (General Reporting, 'Mangalam'), M Jayachandran (Development Reporting, 'Deepika'), M A Jaideep Chandran ( News Photo, 'Rashtradeepika'), K R Gopikrishnan (Cartoon, 'Mathurbhoomi'), Priji Joseph (TV news story, 'Indiavision'), Madhu Menon ( Camera coverage, 'Asianet').

The award carries a cash prize of Rs 10,000, a citation and plaque.

UNI