Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Mar 28: Karnataka chief minister, Siddaramaiah, said that journalism, which is the fourth pillar of democracy, should work with professionalism and diligence to ensure that the sector does not lose the trust it enjoys among the masses.
He was speaking after inaugurating a function organized at Varta Saudha here on Friday March 27 for conferring TSR memorial awards, Mohara Hanamantharaya, environment journalism, as well as development journalism awards for 2012 and 2013.
'For a democracy to succeed, to fulfill aspirations of the constitution, and to bring social reforms, legislature, judiciary, executive, and journalism,which are the four pillars, have to work in tandem with a high sense of responsibility. Only then we can stand up to the expectations of the people,' he felt. The chief minister noted that even electronic media many a time seeks to sensationalize and glamourizes silly news like fight between couples. Instead, they can serve the society better by spreading down-to-earth news items in an objective way, he stressed.
Veteran journalist, N Arjun Dev, speaking on behalf of awardees, said that initially there was anapprehension that electronic media may cast a shadow on print media. 'However, the print media has successfully overcome the challenge by changing its strategies and survived. To achieve control over the electronic media, there is a need to bring even the electronic media within the purview of Press Council of India,' he asserted.
TSR Memorial Journalism Awards were conferred on N Arjun Dev and Eshwar Daithota for the years 2012 and 2013 respectively. Raghavendra Aravind Rao Joshi was awarded Mohara Hanamanth Rao Journalism Award for 2012, while K B Ganapathi received this award for 2013.
Development Journalism Award for 2012 was conferred on Anshi Prasanna Kumar and Dr Sadananda Perla for the next year. Environment Journalism Awards went to Dr Narendra Rai Derla and Deepak Sagar for these two years.
President of the awards selection committee, Arali Nagaraj, information minister, Roshan Baig, and president of Karnataka Madhyama Academy, M A Ponnappa, were present.