Globalisation led to corruption of Indian journalism, says Gurumurthy

Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and veteran journalist S. Gurumurthy sharing a light moment during a media seminar in Kozhikode on November 5.
| Photo Credit: K. Ragesh

S. Gurumurthy, editor of Thuglak magazine, has urged governments, political parties, and social activists to take decisive action against the dangers posed by social media.

Speaking at a media seminar on the topic ‘Whither media’ in connection with the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Janmabhumi, the mouthpiece of Bharatiya Janata Party, in Kozhikode on Tuesday (November 5), Mr. Gurumurthy said that the print and broadcast media were being nose-led by social media and expressed his concern over unsupervised news items published on social media.

“Some foreign-funded social media are trying to cause disturbances in the country. Even the print media is depending on social media to a great extent ,” he said.

Recalling the various stages that the Indian media has gone through, such as the pre-independence and post-independence eras, the era of emergency and post-emergency, he said that globalisation that began in the 1990s triggered the downfall of independent media in the country.

C.P. Satheesh, principal of SN College, Kannur, who moderated the seminar, highlighted the significant issue of misinformation in the social media age. Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar expanded on this concern, stating, “There has been a marked decline in the quality and integrity of journalism in India due to the proliferation of various brands.”

He added that the rapid advancement of technology presents a challenge for media, particularly as over 90 crore people in India now have internet access. This accessibility accelerates the spread of misinformation. “We no longer need weapons or vehicles to incite riots in this country; a computer and a social media platform are sufficient. This alarming situation requires immediate attention,” Mr. Chandrasekhar warned.

K.N.R. Namboothiri, editor of Janmabhumi daily, presided over the seminar.

Published – November 05, 2024 09:01 pm IST

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