Skip to content Skip to navigation

Media should not miss missionary character

By editor |


More and more media houses may be driven by the business interest, but at the end of the day the media should not miss its missionary character. More over, the media house owners should not engage the media space only for its profit sacrificing the media’s immense social responsibilities, commented His Excellency Bharat Vir Wanchoo, Governor of Goa. Inaugurating the 9th Annual South Asia Media Summit 2012 at The International Centre Goa, Dona Paula- Goa today morning the Governor also added that irrespective of increasing challenges, the media should continue its presence in the society as a watch dog and conscience keeper.


Organised by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) India in association with The International Centre Goa (ICG) and Media Information and Communication Centre of India (MICCI) on October 14-16, 2012, the summit has been attended by senior media professionals from different countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar with India.


The inaugural session of the summit titled ‘Government Curbing Media? Regulation vs Self-regulation of Media in South Asia’ was addressed by Henrik Maihack (FES-India), Rajeshwar Dyal (Senior Media Advisor, FES- India), Pratapsingh Rane (Leader of Opposition, Goa Legislative Assembly and President, The International Centre Goa) and Collin Curry (Trustee, MICCI & ICG).


“Market-driven media tends to sensationalise news. The role of media as watchdog of society has in recent times been transgressed to create misconceptions in the minds of its target group. Media is also blamed for blurring the line between news and advertisements, that is, of doling out news for which they have been paid by interested parties, said Ms Nandini Sahai, Director of The International Centre Goa.


She also added, “People now seem to be fast losing faith in the media. This trend is common in the media of the region. Governments also accuse media practitioners of indulging in sensationalisation of news which results in hostility between neighbouring countries. With the onset of New Media, with its Twitter and Blogs characteristics, there is absolutely no control on news becoming gossip and slander.”


Add new comment

Random Stories

Mizoram University and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham to Launch STI Hubs in Mizoram

27 Apr 2023 - 8:43am | AT News
Mizoram University and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham have partnered to launch science, technology and innovation (STI) hubs in the Aizawl and Serchip districts of Mizoram. Funded by the Indian...
Assam Leopards: Habitat Loss Fuels Conflict, Community Program Pushes Coexistence

Assam Leopards: Habitat Loss Fuels Conflict, Community Program Pushes Coexistence

4 May 2024 - 9:09am | Babul Gogoi
Assam, one of India’s seven biodiversity rich northeastern states, presents a landscape of lush evergreen forests and grasslands that is home to a great diversity of species including many of the...

Amguri joins protest against citizenship move

21 May 2018 - 5:18am | AT News
BIJOY BURAGOHAINAMGURI: Hundreds of people took out a torch rally in Amguri on Sunday in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 alleging it a conspiracy to push Assam, it's people,...

Search operation on Beki river

7 May 2014 - 9:52am | Jintul Talukdar
SDRF jawans are on a vigorous operation in search of the 12 missing people who were believed to have been dumped to the Beki river after killing by miscreants at Khagrabari in Narayanguri area in...

Other Contents by Author

Arrested Manoranjana ailing

Arrested media baron Manoranjana Sinh is undergoing tretment at a local hospital in Kolkata. CBI officials probing Saradha scam rushed her to the hospital when she complained breathing difficulties during the custodial interrogation.She was to be produced before a special court in Alipore on Tuesday as the CBI remand expired. CBI officials were expected to seek her in their remand for a few again.

National media education meet

Assam Don Bosco University and Educational Leadership are hosting a national conference in collaboration with Mizoram University department of Mass Communication. Dr. K. V. Nagaraj, Professor at Mizoram University and Former Pro Vice Chancellor addressed ADBU students of mass communication and educational leadership on Wednesday.The conference is being organized in collaboration with Mizoram University Mass Communication department and ADBU Departments of Educational Leadership and Mass Communication from November 2 and 3.A Pre-conference Colloquium for students and research scholars is scheduled for October 31 on ‘Media, Culture and Society.’  

Physiotherapy camp concludes at press club

The city based media persons are suffering from various pain related ailments relating to their neck, shoulder and backs. It was found during a daylong physiotherapy camp, which was organized at Guwahati Press Club on 12 September 2015.Organized by the College of Physiotherapy and Medical Sciences Rehabilitation & Research Centre, Bamunimaidam (a unit of Purbanchal Educational Welfare Society), the camp covered more than 50 scribes who were offered on spot treatment and consultancies.Attended by physicians Dr Trailokya Saikia & Dr NN Sarma with physiotherapists Dr Ujwal Bhattacharya, Dr Abhijit Kalita, Dr Pooja Saikia and Dr Kritika Boruah, the camp also helped the scribes to check...

NDFB-S rebel held

A NDFB-S rebel identified as Buddhiram Basumatary alias Birkw of Amteka Debrabil in Chirang district was apprehanded from Karigaon area in Kokrajhar by security forces belonging to the Army on Sunday morning. One factory made 7.65 mm pistol with three live rounds amunitions was recovered from him. He was later handed over to Kokrajhar police.

Cong prepared to form Tiwa council

Congress is gearing up to form the Tiwa Autonomous Council after the ruling party won 15 out of 31 seats. The party is trying to get the support of one candidate to complete the formality. “We are in touch with several candidates who have assured us support to form the council,” said a senior Congress leader. The party needs 16 seats to formally form the council. The ruling party falls short of one seat. A senior party leader told ne24 that it would be a problem for the party since several candidates are in touch with them. The ruling party got 15 seats while the Ramakanta Deori-led Tiwa Aikya Manch got 10 seats. BJP had to remain satisfied with only 3 seats while AGP got 2 seats.

Consultation on media freedom & law

The Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) in association with Indian Women’s Press Corps, Delhi Union of Journalists, Press Club of India (New Delhi), Mumbai Press Club and Indian Federation of Working Journalists have organized a two day national consultation on media freedom and the law on 8 & 9 August next.To be held at New Delhi Press Club, the national meet is expected to highlight the burning issues relating to the frequent attacks on journalists, sexual harassment and criminal defamation cases against the media persons and also appropriate response to those attacks on press freedom including legal measures.Senior journalist and media commentators like Paranjoy Guha Thakurtha, Bharat...

APJ Abdul Kalam no more

Former President APJ Abdul Kalam passed away at Shillong on Monday. He collasped at a function in Indian Institute of Management Shillong duering a lecture. He was rushed to the ICU of Bethani Hospital where he was declared dead. He was 83. Condolence from variuosusection of people and leaders are pouring in.Deeply saddened at the sudden demise of the former president of India Dr. APAJ Abdul Kalam. He was an inspiration to an entire generation.— Rajnath Singh (@BJPRajnathSingh) July 27, 2015Death of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam is a great loss to the country. He was a common men's President and an icon of the young generation...— Tarun Gogoi (@tarun_gogoi) July 27, 2015RIP #APJ...

NRI lecturer motivates NE students

A non resident Indian (NRI) has taken upon himself the mission of paying back to society by spending his annual vacation and home visit giving motivational lectures to school and college students. He has been doing this for the past 33 years.“I do not do it for the money. It is my way of paying back to society for the many blessings which I have received over the years,” confessed Dr. George Kallingal a Professor Emeritus at University of Guam (USA) who visited East and northeast India spending time in schools and colleges in Bengal, Assam and neighbouring Meghalaya.His hour-long presentation combined academic achievement, spirituality, and realities of young people into sharp perspective....

BJP: 3600 for 126 seats

As many as 3600 BJP leaders and workers are waiting to be contested from 126 assembly constituencies early next year. State BJP president Siddharth Bhattacharya on Wednesday submitted before the party’s central leadership the list of the ticket aspirants in New Delhi.BJP sources told Assam Times that the state unit has forwarded all applications to the party leadership for finalizing 126 candidates. The party leadership is believed to have been deploying a panel of top leaders to study the winning ability of the applicants.   

OIL chief: Modi faces flak

Prime minister Narendra Modi is facing flak across the state for not appointing Rupsikha Bora as OIL chief. Even after the public enterprises selection committee shortlisted the name of the senior finance director three months back, the prime minister’s office did not prefer the first one chartered accountant from the north east as OIL chairperson and managing director.In his letter, Chief minister Tarun Gogoi urged prime minister Narendra Modi to confirm Bora’s appointment in the helm of OIL.Many local organizations in the state staged dharna in front of the OIL headquarters in Duliajan alleging PMO’s discrimination.A section of the protesters further burnt the effigy of the prime...