New Delhi, March 17
Expressing concern at the
“inadequate’ self-regulatory mechanism within media, Prasar Bharati
chairman A. Surya Prakash has suggested that the Press Council become a
Media Council with adequate media representation and acquire more teeth.
Surya
Prakash said that some private news channels have been "creating noise"
during their prime time shows, ignoring the news content.
Viewers
could now watch DD News or listen to All India Radio (AIR) if they were
tired of the "noise channels", he said and pointed out that “each and
every Indian is a stake holder in Prasar Bharati since it depends on
union budgetary support -- about Rs.2,100 crore out of its
Rs.4,000-crore budget in the current financial year".
"Its own
revenue generation is around Rs.1,650 crore as of now and with increased
focus on internal revenue generation, this is expected to improve," he
said.
Surya Prakash, himself a veteran journalist, was addressing
an open session at the 9th Global Communication Conclave organised by
the communication industry body Public Relations Council of India (PRCI)
in the national capital.
Earlier during a panel discussion on
media and PR ethics, delegates expressed concern over the recent
developments that led to unpleasantness in society.
Responding,
Editors Guild general secretary Ajay Upadhyay said the entire media
community need not be tarred with the same brush just because of some
perceived unethical practices. Most media houses do have gatekeepers in
the form of strong news desks and editors to check the flow of news into
the newspapers and channels.
Veteran journalist K.A. Badarinath,
editor - policy at Financial Chronicle, explained that media persons in
general take adequate care while using tonnes of information that they
get in the process of collecting the news.
Rajan Mathews,
director general of Cellular Operators Association of India who
delivered the keynote address, pointed out that misinformation is being
spread about the so-called radiation effect from cellphone towers
whereas there is no scientific evidence of such an impact.
The
mobile tower radiation emission standards that are being practised in
India are much more stringent than the western and European norms, he
said.
Participating in a panel discussion on financial inclusion,
former CMD of Canara Bank Rajiv Dubey said media should play a major
role in increasing the financial literacy in the country.
Shubhrangshu
Neogi, director and head of Marketing & Brand-Religare, stressed on
the need to cut the jargon and simplify the flow of information to the
masses. Financial services companies need to involve PR machinery to
educate the people about various plans and schemes and ensure inclusive
growth, said Mohit Rochlani, CMO of IndiaFirst Life Insurance.
Based
on the suggestions from the speakers, PRCI has decided to launch an
awareness drive for adopting ethical practises among public relations
practitioners and conduct skill development programmes for professionals
to understand the functioning of media and its information needs, said
PRCI chief mentor and Chairman Emeritu
