Speed Post News Network
New Delhi: Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday stressed on the need for self-regulation and reasonable restrictions in the context of rapid expansion of different forms of media in the country and the attendant competition in reporting on various events to maintain public order and ensure integrity and sovereignty of the country.
He spoke at length on various aspects of functioning of the media after inaugurating a two day ‘Regional Editors Conference’ at Chennai on September 1, according to PIB release. Naidu said there is a need to ensure balance between freedom of expression and the genuine need for reasonable restrictions to ensure that that there is no ‘divisive communication’ given the social, cultural and economic diversity in the country. Self-regulation by media could be useful in this regard, he said. The growing compulsion of ‘instant communication’ should not lead media away from truthful reporting, the Minister stressed.
Naidu noted that despite the emergence of new forms of media, print media has been reporting steady growth which is being driven by the growth of regional media. He noted that regional media is uniquely placed in connecting the governments and the people given their focus on regional and local issues and their proximity to the people, said the PIB release.