Media losing its credibility: Resul Pookutty

He was delivering the inaugural address at a two-day national seminar on 'Media Ethics and Practices' organised by the Department of Journalism at Besant Women's College (BWC), in collaboration with Department of Mass Communication and Journalism (DMCJ) at Mangalore University, in the college auditorium on Thursday.

Although he was unable to attend the programme, he spoke over a pre-recorded video clipping from Mumbai.

Narrating his first brush with media after he won the Oscar Award in 2009, he said that in spite of having ethics, the pressure on media persons to get exclusive footages was so bad that they were forced to do things they normally wouldn't want to.

“News today is a huge business, and media has arrived at a point where news has to be created, if it is not available. It has become a commodity where small things are blown out of proportion to create it. All of us as media persons have to take a personal stand on these practices to retain the value of news, ignoring which, we will be left with a society which is on the decline,” he said.

Delivering the keynote address, creative writer, playwright and newspaper columnist Shreekumar Varma said that in India, newspapers did not depend on its readers or circulation. Only 3 per cent of the revenue of a newspaper house comes from its circulation, while the rest comes from advertising. Newspapers heavily depend on corporate bodies and organisations, and these bodies, along with politics, have been influencing journalism, he said.

Recalling the time when the news of Mahatma Gandhi's death had not been carried on the front page of a newspaper as it was filled with advertisements, he said, “it is the same thing now, in a different scenario.”

Talking about the way newspapers in India functioned over the years, he said that till the 1950's, there were five major newspapers which dictated policy. They created and moulded public opinion, and had great vibrancy. But during the days of Emergency, journalism took a dip and grew weak, where editors were put down even if they protested against the repression. Journalism was never the same after that. When India started looking outward a couple of decades ago, journalism took a turn. It now started being backed by corporate bodies, and began losing its independence purely because of financial and investment reasons. In the 1990's, newspapers started going beyond the headlines and behind the news. Reporters discovered stories and horrific crimes hidden behind a curtain of secrecy. Journalism started taking a turn, towards social activism. However, media was at its strongest when it communicated and brought awareness among the people about corruption in recent times. People poured from all corners of the country in support of Anna Hazare and the Lokpal bill. This was mainly because of media such as television, blogs, and social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, he said.

Giving a message to the students, he said that the real education in the field of journalism came when one worked. “Media is very fast, and you have to grasp everything on your own. If you want to get into the field, learn about it now,” he stressed.

Principal of BWC Dr Manjula K T welcomed the gathering and introduced the guests. Speaking on the rights and responsibilities of media, she said that fake news had become rampant and sensationalism had become the order of the day. “Although we have the right to Freedom of Speech and Expression, this freedom cannot be at the cost of damaging the society,” she said.

President of Women's National Education Society (WNES), Mangalore, Kudpi Jagadish Shenoy, Chairman of DMCJ Dr Waheeda Sulthana and Dr G P Shivram, spoke on the occasion.

Secretary of WNES P P Gomathi made the presidential remarks.

Aima Sherin compered the programme, and Sushma proposed a vote of thanks.