Journalists can become agents of change: PM

The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has said journalists could become agents of change if they were true to their profession.

“In a sense, journalists are the conscience keepers of society — pointing out what is wrong not only with the administration and government but also society at large,” the Prime Minister said today, while inaugurating the year-long centenary celebrations of Malayalam daily Kerala Kaumudi .

“If they are true to their profession, journalists can become agents of change — and change for the better,” he said.

Dr Manmohan said accuracy and fairness were the two qualities that a good journalist should possess.

“Accuracy is relatively easy to understand and uphold. However, fairness implies not merely the absence of bias in reporting on events but also a very conscious attempt to present diverse and different views on a situation or an issue,” the Prime Minister said.

Fairness implied bearing in mind that truth often lay somewhere between extreme positions adopted by interested parties. In an increasingly complex world, journalists should take pains to be continuously on their toes to update and educate themselves relentlessly, he said.

The Prime Minister recalled the services of eminent persons associated with the Kerala Kaumudi including its founding editor C.V. Kunhuraman. M.K. Kumaran, who edited the daily for over a decade, had also been elected to Lok Sabha twice.

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