PCI chief stresses needfor independent media

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, APRIL 7. There is need for an independent media which performs a watchdog role effectively, rather than selectively, and there is a need for democratisation of media, the Chairman of the Press Council of India, Mr. Justice P.B. Sawant, said while speaking at a seminar on `Media accountability' here today.

The seminar was organised by the PCI, the Press Academy of Andhra Pradesh and `Friedric Ebert Stiftung'. Mr. Rajeshwar Dayal of the FES welcomed. Mr. Sawant said the print media is in private hands, while the electronic media is in Government hands illegally, and it is surprising that the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting speaks on behalf of the Doordarshan when the Prasar Bharati Act does not give any power to the Minister. But nobody seems to notice this, he remarked.

Mr. Sawant said the media lobby has grown to be very powerful. He recalled that the Press Council laid down guidelines about the publication of pre-poll and exit poll results, saying that an exit poll result should not be published until the voting in the election is completed. But the media did not heed the advice. Though one big newspaper chain had a person of high eminence as an ombudsman, there has been no record that readers' complaints have been looked into and the result published.

The Chairman of the Press Academy, Mr. Potturi Venkateswara Rao, said that though the Constitution guaranteed freedom of expression, newspapers play safe for fear of defamation, privilege issues being raised in the Legislatures and contempt proceedings by courts. Better miss the story rather than getting into trouble is often the golden rule for the press, Mr. Venkateswara Rao remarked.

Mr. Rao asked whether a court which tries someone for contempt, can at the same time, be the complainant and also the penaliser? Is it not against principle of natural justice?

Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan, Convenor of the Lok Satta, said media is not playing an effective role in exposing the huge expenditure incurred by political parties and candidates during elections. He estimated that these people have spent Rs. 7,000 crores on elections in the past five years. Only basic electoral reforms would help reduce corruption and improve the quality of governance, he asserted.

Mr. K.G. Kannabiran, President, People's Union for Civil Liberties, said that the media should organise itself as a democratic institution and there should be total restructuring of news casting, with less space given to advertising.

Mr. Justice A. Lakshman Rao, retired Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court, Prof. B.P. Sanjay, Professor of Journalism and Communication from Hyderabad Central University, Dr. M. Sridhar, Reader in Law from the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research, Mr. R.J. Rajendra Prasad, Deputy Editor, The Hindu spoke at the first session.

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