New Delh; Former president Ram Nath Kovind urged journalists on Wednesday to stay away from sensationalisation of news for higher television rating points and said such tendencies have proved harmful for journalistic standards.

Addressing the 55th convocation of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Kovind also flagged challenges posed before the media by fake news, paid news, misinformation and deepfakes.

“Any mischief maker sitting in any corner of the world can spread fake news in the social media space. By the time we realise that certain information is incorrect and spread with malintention, the damage has been done to the society,” he said.

Press Trust of India