New Delhi: It is time for the conventional media to "stand up and strike back", Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Friday, noting there was space for it to serve objective rather than "agenda-setting news" by television channels.
Jaitley urged the drivers of conventional media to give to the readers and viewers something which may be conventional but "fresh". "So while we all respect the trends that media follows, I am one of those conventional readers or viewers who feels that there's a huge space which is lacking for the return of the conventional media. I would like to see the Indian version of BBC, objective rather than agenda-setting news.
"There would be many others like me who enjoys what happens in the evening but I think it is also taking its toll and therefore it is time for conventional media to stand up and strike back and I think this is the right time," Jaitley said.
Jaitley, who also holds the Information and Broadcasting portfolio, was speaking at a function where the International Press Institute (IPI) India Award For Excellence in Journalism was conferred on M Shajil Kumar of Malayala Manorama for his outstanding work on "endangered tribal communities".
Former Chief Justice of India A S Anand, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and veteran journalist T N Ninan also spoke on the occasion. "There's also a balance between idealism and ambition and I think that balance can be maintained by all of you yourself. No outside agency can ever come and try to maintain the balance," Rathore said.
Justice Anand, who headed the jury that selected Kumar's exclusive report for the prestigious award, said the judiciary can't afford to get influenced by those who speak louder. "So far as the courts are concerned, there is no scope for the crowd to influence the judges because if that happens it will be a sad day for the judiciary. The courts cannot be influenced by who speaks louder," he said.
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