Sir,
i totally agree with the eight point action plan evolved in the conference at mount abu.The points raised by satyen Narain Dasji,I dont agree to them.Negative communication is always quick and easy but is shortlived.Positivity is the order of the day.
I appreciate the points which you raised to prove the point that values are degrading in media and quoting of M.J Akbar is also good.The holy platform of Mount Abu is also to be appreciated for such a sacred exercise.
Dr Mamta Ojha,
Indore
mobile 9893353249
Dear Mr. Satyen Narain Das ji
Members of the Discussion groups
My dear Professional colleagues
This has reference to the comment of Mr. Satyen Narain Das
on the 8-Point Media Action Plan evolved at the 'National Media conference
2010' with the theme "Vision and Values for a New Social Order",
organized by the Media Wing of Rajyog Education and Research Foundation,
Prajapita Brahmakumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya, Mount Abu, Rajasthan.
The 8-point Media Action plan was not evolved by me as
allegedby Mr. Satyen Narain Dasin his email, commenting 'Obviously
you are a public relations man and have no idea of journalism. If your 8- point
action plan for media is followed, there will be nothing left in the profession
of journalism'. It isnot my personal plan but was a unanimous choice of
1500 delegates at the Valedictory Session who included delegates representing
print, electronic, cyber media including media academicians, researchers,
owners, editors, writers, correspondents, broadcasters and PROs.
In sum, the 8-point media action plan highlights on the four
key areas:
1.As the media played a predominant role in the
freedom struggle as a mission, the 8 point action plan urged that media must
restore its pre-independent role to practice journalism again with a mission.
2.Journalism must be blended with our age-old
moral, ethical and spiritual values to serve the country with a positive
approach as a Rectifier of society
3.To discourage sensationalisation, yellow
journalism, advertorials, cross media and paid news syndrome.
4.The last but the most important point of the
eight point action plan is that media as a responsible fourth estate should
live up to the expectations of Indian democracy without fallingprey
to the vested interests of pressure groups
My dear members of discussion groups, kindly ponder over the 8-point media
action plan to see 'what was wrong with it'. The 10 points raised by Mr. Satyen
Narain Das over the eight point action plan are summarized below for information
to the professional colleagues.
1.'Obviously you are a public relations man and have
no idea of journalism
2.If your 8-point action plan for media is
followed there will be nothing left in the profession of journalism. (One has
to be specific in commenting like this)
3.The strength of media is in its negative
approach
4.Negative stories are the main essence of
journalism
5.Newspapers will be very dull without negative
stories. Journalism is a negative profession. You can't be a good journalist
without being negative
6.Who wants to read positive puffs of the PR Profession?
7.Mount Abu Media Conference was a public
relationsget-together, not a media meet
8.Yellow journalism is a term devised by public
relations people to denigrate some journalists.
9.Sensationalism is a tool which journalists use
to reach a large number of people
10.The last but most important point for Mr. Satyen Narain
Das is that, he says, his emailis just to explain to the public relations
people what journalism is about.
I appeal to members of discussion groups again to ponder over the 10 points
raised by Mr. Satyen Narain Das against the eight point media action plan and
that too through these points he wants to teach journalism to public relations
professionals
As a citizen of India Mr. Satyen Narain Das has every right to comment and
express his views. I too have the same right of expressing my views. But anyone
who makes use of freedom of speech and ex-pression, must be aware of the fact that
freedom of ex-pression must go with responsibility. Against this backdrop
I do respect the views of Mr. Satyen Narain Das.
I am not only a public relations
professional but also a journalist, an editor, writer and author. I have been
teaching journalism and media both within and outside India during the last 30
years.
If the intention of Mr Das is to explain to PR people like
me what journalism is all about, I am prepared to learn if anything is new in
his points, to update my knowledge. However, I dare to clarify the point on
Yellow Journalism alleged by Mr. Das that yellow journalism is a term devised
by public relations people to denigrate some journalists, which I totally
disagree.
Yellow journalism is a term used for
sensationalisation. The phrase used in US to describe newspapers involved
in the internecine struggle or warfare among the popular metropolitan press
empires of the late 19thcentury for readership. It came to be
known from comic strip 'the yellow kid' that was printed in yellow ink in The
New York World to attract readers' attention. The yellow kid was first applied
to Hearst-Pulitzer circulation wars in New York newspapers in 1890. Later
the same Joseph Pulitzer owner of the New York World that engaged in yellow
journalism founded the prestigious Pulitzer Prize in 1917. It may
therefore be seen that yellow journalism was not coined by public relations
professionals as alleged by Mr. Satyen Narain Das.
Media Positive-Negative Features: To understand the background in which the
eight plan media action plan was evolved, it is better to know the positive and
negative features of Indian media.
Positive Features: Media in India has both positive and negative
features. On the positive side media in India should be proud of its role
in three areas.
1.Media should be proud of its role in freedom
struggle which worked with a mission and created public opinion against the
British Rule
2.India is the largest democracy in the world.This
is the greatest achievement of our independent India. If any particular sector
is to take credit for this victory, we must give to Indian media, which played
a major role in sustaining the Indian democracy
3.The third and most important achievement of
Indian media is its contribution to the economic growth of India which is
poised to become number one or two among the biggest economies in the world.
Negative Features: Let's analyze the negative features of journalism.
News is On Sale: Mr. M J Akbar, Editor-in-Chief, Asian Age
has identified seven deadly sins of journalism today.
1.False accusations are made with motives and by
motives
2.Bias comes under many disguises
3.The third deadly sin is the Sin of Pomposity
and editors are genuinely prone to pomposity
4.Owners who come from business perspective make
profit motive as a healthy motive in running newspaper
5.The fifth sin is the triumph of trivial
6.It is the practice of journalism that News is
On Sale. News and views are manipulated to suit the owner editor's financial
and political interests and to sub serve marketing goal rather than social goal
7.Sign of ignorance
Commercialization has eclipsed journalistic values
8. While writing on 'Changing Face of Indian
Media' an eminent political commentator, InderMalhotra said 'there has
been a perceptible and pernicious decline in standards of both electronic and
print media. Trivialization, and titillation are becoming the order of the day,
on the specious pretext that this what the reader or the viewer wants. Cross
commercialization has eclipsed journalistic values and editors authority. In
some newspapers, the editor is becoming the extinct species
9. Paid News
Justice G. N. Ray, Chairman, Press Council of India observed that paid news
syndrome developed in the media during 2009 elections is a serious threat to
Indian democracy and appealed that news and views should not be mixed for
payment.
The above negative factors clearly indicate that there has been erosion in the
journalistic values. It is against this backdrop, Mount Abu Media Conference
has evolved an eight point media action plan so that media could adopt moral,
ethical, social and spiritual values as part of their code of ethics to
establish a new social order in the country.
Members of discussion groups could offer their own views on the subject for
better understanding.
Truly,
Dr C V Narasimha Reddi
Editor, Public Relations Voice
Mobile: 9246548901
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