New Delhi : Asserting that strong and independent-minded editors are the best guarantee for safeguarding the public interest, Vice President Hamid Ansari today lamented that they had become an "endangered species" in today's media world. "Experience shows that the best guarantee for safeguarding the public interest is to have strong and independent-minded editors. Today, they are an endangered species," he said presenting the Ramnath Goenka Journalism Awards here.
Ansari said "the slow erosion" of the institution of the editor in Indian media organisations is a reality. "When media space and media products are treated solely in terms of revenue maximisation strategies, editors end up giving way to marketing departments," he said. Noting that vibrant journalism in a democracy is watchdog journalism, he said it monitors the exercise of power and influence in society and stands for the rights and freedom of citizens. "It informs and empowers citizens rather than entertains and titillates them."
Maintaining that media norms is an issue of public debate, the Vice President said, "We have, as yet, not had an informed debate in the country on the issue of multiple- ownership and cross-ownership nor a cogent national media policy that covers all platforms." This, he said, was at variance with the practice of other developed democracies. "The impact of the emergence of a handful of media conglomerates spanning the entire media spectrum in moulding public opinion, generating political debate and safeguarding consumer and public interest is a moot question," he said. "Issues of ethics and professionalism of the media appear to invade all aspects of our lives- political, economic and social," he said, adding "It is for you, the journalist community, to take the initiative and seek to address various concerns regarding the profession."
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