There’s a need for self-regulation in social and traditional media to prevent devaluation of news, says Vice President Naidu

There’s a need for self-regulation in social and traditional media to prevent devaluation of news, says Vice President Naidu

NEW DELHI: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday said there was need to ensure “sanity” in the use of the rapidly expanding social media platforms, given the implications for social harmony, common good, peace and national security. He said the freedom of expression does not mean unfettered outburst of anger and hate against each other that may lead to chaos in society.
Journalism by nature, the vice president said, is supposed to be critical of the order of the times based on facts and supported by evidence. But he emphasised that this should not slip into “complete negativity”.
Media should use a standard set of reporting and analytical tools that captures the changing narrative without imposing respective positions, and should not be seen by the public as discrediting the changes taking place, the vice president said.
Pointing out that advertisement revenue is key to the viability of any media organisation, Naidu said with the mushrooming of media outlets and the shrinking revenue pie, the traditional norms and principles of journalism are being forced to be compromised with serious consequences.
Speaking at the 6th M V Kamat Memorial Endowment Lecture on ‘Journalism: Past, Present and Future’, he said the disruption caused by technology has resulted in a serious crisis for the media and appropriate revenue sharing models need to be evolved for the survival of traditional media.
“Technology giants have emerged as the algorithmic gate keepers of information and the web has emerged as the main vehicle of distribution of information and news. We are witnessing the consequences,” the vice president said.
According to the the text of his speech made available by his office, Naidu said while the democratisation and decentralisation that followed the rapid expansion of social media enabling freedom of expression is welcome, the world is witnessing the downside of it in the absence of self-regulation and protocols.
In this era of saturated information and over abundance of news, the very news is getting devalued, he felt.
While the traditional print media is “sincerely endeavouring” to adapt to the technological disruption by going online, it is struggling to come out with viable revenue models, he pointed out.
“The information and reports generated by the print media at substantial cost is being hijacked by the social media giants. This is unfair. Some countries are taking measures to ensure revenue sharing by the social media giants with the print media. We too need to take a serious look at this problem and come out with effective guidelines or laws to enable print media get their share from the huge revenues of the technology giants,” Naidu said.
Over a period of time, media in our country has acquired a certain orientation which is broadly termed by the commentators as “left leaning and liberal”, Naidu said.
“Nobody can make an issue out of this. But the problem arises if the media is keen to stick to the perspectives acquired earlier and stayed with them for long and refuses to acknowledge the changing narrative,” he said.
“I am not suggesting media to be like a chameleon. Media should use a standard set of reporting and analytical tools that captures the change without imposing respective positions. Media should not be seen by the public as discrediting the change that is happening since such a change is contrary to their long held positions,” he noted.
The vice-president said while journalism by nature is supposed to be critical of the order of the times based on facts and supported by evidence, “this should not slip into complete negativity”.
“I am not suggesting that media is completely cynical. We have opted for parliamentary democracy for negotiated socio-economic transformation and nation building. As a bridge between the people and the governments, media need to focus on the development taking place on various fronts.
“Governments are the principal catalysts of this change for the better. Development journalism does not mean beating the trumpet of the governments. It is about examining and reporting on the triggers of change, partnerships built and participation of people and other stakeholders, challenges faces and the way they were overcome this kind of positivity reinforces the trust of the people in the institutions of our body polity,” he said.
Till the advent of modern media, print media played an important role in furthering the cause of independence by promoting the spirit of nationalism and nation building through socio-economic transformation subsequently, he said. The country is committed to uphold the Constitutional values of liberty, equality, fraternity and justice for all, he said, adding that the changes happening in the country over the last few years are within the framework of the Constitution.
Discredited media is nobody’s interest, he opined, adding that the norms of objective journalism demand that personal views and positions should not impact reporting of events and issues. “Viewers and readers too should not look for only such information and reports that suits them,” he said.
A newspaper or any other media outlet should report the facts as news, present different perspectives on a debatable issue besides conveying their own view appropriately. The aim shall be to leave it to the reader or the viewer to take his own position without seeking to influence his mind, be said.
“News and views should be strictly separate. One can’t masquerade as the other,” Naidu said. —PTI

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