Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], November 16 : Himachal Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani, while presiding over the state-level function of National Press Day here on Sunday, said that this day not only draws attention to the freedom and responsibilities of the press, but also underscores its role in building a transparent society.
According to the Himachal CMO, Dharmani said that the role of the media is to convey important public issues to the government. The media's job is to raise the voices of the underprivileged sections of society. "Promoting transparency in the press will keep democracy vibrant and alive. The role of the media is to convey important public issues to the government. The media's job is to raise the voices of the underprivileged sections of society," Dharmani said.
"In the age of Information Technology, the media is facing many challenges. Due to technologies like AI and deep fakes, misinformation spreads rapidly in society and the difference between true and false information has a direct impact. The media plays a vital role in shaping the nation and the society," Dharmani said.
Minister Dharmani stated that under the leadership of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the government has initiated various welfare policies and schemes, as well as undertaken numerous public welfare initiatives. He stated that the media has a responsibility to ensure that the government's decisions in the public interest are disseminated to the public so that they can derive benefits from the schemes.
Speaking at the event, Principal Advisor (Media) to the Chief Minister, Naresh Chauhan, said that the media acts as a bridge between the government and the public. It is the media's responsibility to disseminate the government's public welfare programs to the public and to convey public feedback to the government. He stated that publishing fact-based news is essential in journalism, emphasising the importance of introspection to maintain media credibility.
Earlier, Professor Shashikant Sharma, Chairman of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, presented his views on "Safeguarding Press Credibility Amidst Rising Misinformation."
Sharma stated that the competition for breaking news has threatened the credibility of the news. Social media and other information platforms have brought about numerous changes in the field of journalism. In many countries around the world, a campaign has been launched to replace "breaking news" with "slow news," which aims to present accurate information in detail with facts, instead of taking credit for TRP.
Nevertheless, we must ensure that accurate information reaches the public through technology. This is the time to promote investigative journalism.
During the interactive session, senior journalist P.C. Lohumi stated that character building is essential in today's environment, alongside the credibility of the press. Journalists should speak impartially and fearlessly, without discrimination and without any greed. Senior journalist Ashwani Sharma stated that in journalism, it is essential to present balanced versions of both sides, which enhances the credibility of the news and journalists.
Director of Information and Public Relations Rajiv Kumar welcomed the guests and honoured them on the occasion. He thanked all the speakers and media personnel present for attending the event and congratulated them on National Press Day.