As we are celebrating National Press Day on 16 November in India, let’s pay our heartiest tributes to everyone who contributed to the growth of print media and also its watchdog and mentor, the Press Council of India (PCI). Since its inception and functioning, the Press Council continues to symbolize a free and responsible press in the largest democracy of the world. Many may claim that among all press or media councils functioning in various countries across the world, the PCI should emerge as a unique entity that exercises authority over the media and also safeguards the independence of the press in the populous country.
PCI was first constituted on 4 July 1966 as an ‘autonomous, statutory, quasi-judicial’ body with Justice JR Mudholkar, then a Supreme Court judge, as its chairman. Under the Press Council Act 1965, various relevant functions are being authorized for the PCI, such as helping newspapers to maintain their independence and building up a code of conduct for newspapers and journalists in accordance with high professional standards. More responsibilities are listed so as to ensure on the part of newspapers and journalists the maintenance of high standards of public taste, foster a due sense of both the rights and the responsibilities of citizenship, and to encourage the growth of a sense of responsibility and public service among all those engaged in the profession. It was Mahatma Gandhi, who articulated the concept of self-regulation, in which press councils or similar bodies were founded and still functioning. Under this noble concept, the sole aim of journalism should be the service to humanity. Till the last century, newspapers dominated the media scenario.
Arunodoi emerged in 1846 as the first newspaper of our region. Today it witnesses the publication of a good number of morning daily newspapers in various languages. Sizable population of the region still depend on physical newspapers for necessary news content. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Guwahati supported the publication of around 30 morning dailies with hundreds of periodicals in various languages like Assamese, English, Hindi and Bengali. But the number in printed newspapers has drastically reduced in the last two years. In fact, the newspapers are struggling to survive with the rapid invasion of television channels and the most powerful digital media. A crisis of credibility since the time of Assam Agitation, which culminated in 1985 with a much-debated accord, has also struck the holy profession.
Relentless corruption in the offices of proprietors and editors, their unwanted silence on the issue of nationalism and safety of the Assamese people, no promotional activities for the budding journalists where most of the editors maintained double identities (both as a journalist and creative writer) for their safeguards and excuses whenever there emerged a socio-political crisis, a visibly low space for the valued readers to make the editor-journalists accountable when it was necessary and finally the arrogance of a large number of print journalists have ruined the profession. Once the quality internet becomes available to the common people, a large number of social media users start questioning the professional journalists, for which the media persons were seemingly not ready. Rejection to social media as a nuisance by many editors simply deteriorated the situation. Even after maintaining the circulation figure after the pandemic, the newspapers have already lost their social influence significantly.
The growth in alternative media, as our country today supports over 500 million smart-phone owners (leaving aside lakhs of other dedicated internet-users), has thus posed a serious threat to both print and electronic (television and radio) media. Because of the extreme speed, cheaper in prices and interactive in nature, social media has lately emerged as a giant entity breaking the barriers often faced by the mainstream media. Needless to mention that both the news channels and digital media outlets are yet to be taken under the purview of PCI. Voices have been raised in different forums for enhancing and empowering the PCI with the inclusion of news channels and digital outlets under its operational territory. Otherwise, the actual aim and thrust of PCI may dilute slowly but steadily in the near future.
By Nava Kumar Thakuria
