AMN / NEW DELHI
President Ram Nath Kovind has said that fake news has emerged as new menace whose purveyors proclaim themselves as journalists and taint this noble profession.
Speaking at the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in New Delhi, he said, in the breaking news syndrome, the fundamental principle of restraint and responsibility been undermined substantially.
He said, journalists often assume the role of investigator, prosecutor, and judge.
Mr. Kovind said, stories exposing great social and economic inequalities are ignored and their place was taken by trivia.
“If journalism has to remain relevant, it has to retain its sense of mission, it has to reclaim its values of honesty and fairness. It has to, 24 by 7, reinforce its compact with citizens: that it will not bend, that it will always fight for truth no matter what the consequence, and that it will remain committed to finding the truth without fear or favour,” the President said.
President Kovind also said in amid the “din of breaking news” syndrome, the fundamental principle of restraint and responsibility had been undermined substantially. “Fake news has emerged a new menace, whose purveyors proclaim themselves as journalists and taint this noble profession,” he said.
“A section of the media has then taken recourse to entertainment in the name of news. Stories exposing great social and economic inequalities are ignored, and their place is taken by trivia. Instead of helping promote scientific temper, some run after irrational practices in their search for eyeballs and ratings. But, I am confident that, quality journalism will prevail in the long run – the kind of journalism we have gathered to celebrate today,” the President further said.
Remembering the founder of the Indian Express group, Ramnath Goenka, President Kovind said that he wondered what he would have done to encounter the crisis of credibility on account of paid or fake news.
“He would never have allowed the situation to go adrift and initiated measures for course correction for the whole media fraternity. There is no doubt that journalism has been passing through a critical phase,” President Kovind said.