Governor C.
Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao and Union minister of state for power Piyush Goyal have said that the state needs a strong legislation to protect journalists from violent attacks and ensure freedom of the press.
Speaking at the Red Ink awards at the Mumbai Press Club on Tuesday, Mr Rao said that the response towards threats to journalists should be stronger from the government and law. “New media can afford to lose its credibility, but the old and trusted print media, which has a reputation of ages behind it, must not lose credibility,” he said.
Mr Goyal seconded this opinion and has said that stakeholders in these areas involving journalist and others as well should reflect on strengthening their stand, as journalists were not the only messengers who were being targeted and the time has come for all stakeholders to reflect on their roles. “I think all of us will have to reflect on overall standards of the society, which is reflected on politics, journalism and public work of the day. After all, it will be an influence of the entire society that will be reflected in whatever one reads in the paper or writes in the papers, magazines or 24/7 breaking news TV news channels. It is possibly time for all of us, the stakeholders in the system, to sit and reassess our positions and our roles,” said Mr Goyal.
Talking about how this has affected the quality of journalism today he further added, “It would be great to have that streak of journalism back in the market.” The Mumbai Press Club is located at CST and is one of the oldest of its kind in the country.
