Entertainment, glamour getting more media attention than Parliament

New Delhi, Nov 16 (UNI) lamenting that the media had failed to project Parliament with respect and seriousness it deserves, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today urged journalists to correct the imbalance.

Mr Chatterjee also expressed concern that market forces had affected the credibility of the media.

The Speaker said it was sad that owing to single minded obsession with perceived market requirements, the vital elements of democracy--the legislature, the executive and the judiciary were no longer getting the attention they got earlier.

He was speaking as chief guest at the National press day functon organised by the Press Council of India(PCI) here.

Media should give due coverage to important work transacted in Parliament and its committees and not just get obsessed with disturbances which no doubt needed to be checked and adveresely commented upon, the Speaker felt.

He said today debates in Parliament had ceased to be reported and one finds the press and the TV channels giving primacy to news about latest development in the social life of celebrities of the entertainmemnt industry or some sports person, or about extramarital affairs of someone and bizarre stories like snake gods drinking milk in some home.

''Sunstantial space is provided to cover parties and weddings of the rich and the famous with great detail than to the problems of farmers or of suicides by them,'' he added.

He said it was unfortunate that in sections of the press, it appeared that more importance was now being given to the marketing division of newspapers than to the editorials.

''It is said that in some newspapers, the marketing division decided what will see the paper in terms of news and how they will do it,'' said Mr Chatterjee.

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