OREANDA-NEWS. The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today attended a function organized by the Press Council of India on the occasion of National Press Day. The occasion also marks the Golden Jubilee of the Press Council of India.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister emphasized on the importance of freedom of press, and said press should self-regulate, adding that any external interference or regulation on press is not called for.

The Prime Minister expressed concern over the recent killings of journalists in some parts of the country. He said that journalists losing their lives in the quest for telling the truth, is an extremely serious development.

Speaking earlier, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, Minister for Information & Broadcasting has said that self-regulation in the media space was the best practice which would uphold journalistic ethics and democratic ideals of the Nation. The Government does not believe in imposing ban on any medium of communication, but necessary restraint has to be exercised keeping in mind the protection of sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the nation and law & order situation in the country.

Elaborating on the responsibility of Media, Shri Naidu mentioned that electronic media coverage of Mumbai terrorist attacks received backlash from the Hon’ble Supreme Court, which mentioned that “any attempt to justify the conduct of the TV channels by citing the right to freedom of speech and expression would be totally wrong and unacceptable in such a terrorist situation. He also mentioned the recent case of Pathankot coverage also highlighted how electronic media coverage while reporting could put civilians, armed personnel lives to danger.

The Minister while speaking about the role of Regional Media in a diverse country like India, the Minister said the media assumes importance at the regional level due to its proximity with local communities and local language which enhances the participatory potential of citizens. The Regional Media plays an important role in building participatory democracy by reaching out to all the sections of the society and also creates an informed citizenry. In a federal polity, regional media with its reach can help align the interests of States with that of the Nation there by enabling Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of Cooperative Federalism.

Regarding the Government’s New Print Media Advertisement Policy, Shri Naidu said it promotes equity based regional outreach by providing relaxation in empanelment procedure to provide special encouragement for Regional language/Dialects small and medium newspapers.