National Press Day 16 Nov: An occasion for practicing media persons to introspect

By Nava Thakuria*

Even though the Indian media fraternity observes National Press Day on 16 November commemorating the day since when the Press Council of India (PCI) starts functioning, it's unfortunate that the quasi-judicial body still has no authority over news channels and digital media outlets. While rich tributes are paid to everyone who contributed to the growth of print media and also its mentor & watchdog (PCI), it should be an occasion for the practicing media persons to introspect seriously over their noble profession, where it has actually been heading in the post-Covid-19 era.

Since its inception and functioning, the PCI continues to symbolize a free and responsible press in the largest democracy of the world. Among all press or media councils, functioning in various countries, the PCI is recognized as a unique entity that exercises authority over the media and also safeguards independence of the press. Under the Press Council Act 1965, various relevant functions such as helping newspapers to maintain their independence and building up a code of conduct for newspapers and journalists in accordance with high professional standards are being authorized for the PCI. Undoubtedly, the sole aim of journalism should be the service to humanity. Till the last century, newspapers dominated the media scenario, but lately it has witnessed a drastic fall in the circulation of printed newspapers. The newspaper industry is actually struggling for survival after the invasion of satellite television channels and digital outlets.

Since the days of Arunodoi (1846), northeast India has witnessed the publication of a good number of morning dailies in various languages. Prior to the pandemic, Guwahati supported the publication of around 30 dailies with hundreds of periodicals. But the endless corruption among many editors and a visibly low space for the valued readers/audience/viewers to make their official points even in need have steadily ruined the sacred profession. Once the quality internet becomes available to the common people, a large number of social media users start questioning the professional journalists and the professional media persons were seemingly not ready for that. Rejection to social media terming it a nuisance by a number of print-editors has also deteriorated the situation. In the recent past, altogether three Guwahati-based television journalists (who started careers as print journalists) were named and shamed in social media as being beneficiaries of the National Register of Citizens updation scam in Assam scam.

At least one prominent filmmaker identified a television talk show host in his facebook post that the scribe had grabbed a huge amount of money which was due for the temporary workers (data entry operators) in the process. The accused television journalist aggressively supported the draft NRC in various official appearances (reasons best known to him), even though it still faces many pertinent questions ranging from its cut-off year (1971) to inclusion of millions of illegal Bangladeshi migrants. In a public comment, the tainted scribe even compared those who support 1951 as the cut-off year to identify the infiltrators in Assam (as it is done across the country) as idiots.

Lately a senior print journalist in his post claimed that the accused scribe even spent money in the local press club election to get an executive committee of his choice. Need not to mention that the concerned electoral exercise was a visible expensive affair to the common city residents as well. A large number of leading print journalists were denied their membership, so that they could not participate in the election, neither as candidates nor voters. Rumours were spread that a powerful politician was behind their mission, which turned false later.

In both cases, when thousands of alternate media users accused the journalist and press club authority of corruption and mismanagement, they remained silent. Months back, a list of beneficiaries from the coal mafia went viral in social media where some journalists and press associations were named. Amazingly, they did not make any response. PCI should have intervened in all those matters for the sack of India’s media fraternity, but it has limited authority. Thus, existence of the statutory body has been denied by those dishonest media persons. What more we are waiting for!

---

*Senior journalist based in Guwahati

Comments

10,000 students deprived of classes as Ahmedabad school remains shut: MCC writes to Gujarat CM

By A Representative The Minority Coordination Committee (MCC) has written to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, urging him to immediately reopen the Seventh Day Adventist School in Maninagar, Ahmedabad, where classes have been suspended for nearly two weeks. The MCC claims that the suspension, following a violent incident, violates the constitutional right to education of thousands of children.

Gujarat minority rights group seeks suspension of Botad police officials for brutal assault on minor

By A Representative A human rights group, the Minority Coordination Committee (MCC) Gujarat, has written to the Director General of Police (DGP), Gandhinagar, demanding the immediate suspension and criminal action against police personnel of Botad police station for allegedly brutally assaulting a minor boy from the Muslim community.

On Teachers’ Day, remembering Mother Teresa as the teacher of compassion

By Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ It is Teachers’ Day once again! Significantly, the day also marks the Feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta (still lovingly called Mother Teresa). In 2012, the United Nations, as a fitting tribute to her, declared this day the International Day of Charity. A day pregnant with meaning—one that we must celebrate as meaningfully as possible.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Targeted eviction of Bengali-speaking Muslims across Assam districts alleged

By A Representative A delegation led by prominent academic and civil rights leader Sandeep Pandey visited three districts in Assam—Goalpara, Dhubri, and Lakhimpur—between 2 and 4 September 2025 to meet families affected by recent demolitions and evictions. The delegation reported widespread displacement of Bengali-speaking Muslim communities, many of whom possess valid citizenship documents including Aadhaar, voter ID, ration cards, PAN cards, and NRC certification.

Gandhiji quoted as saying his anti-untouchability view has little space for inter-dining with "lower" castes

By A Representative A senior activist close to Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar has defended top Booker prize winning novelist Arundhati Roy’s controversial utterance on Gandhiji that “his doctrine of nonviolence was based on an acceptance of the most brutal social hierarchy the world has ever known, the caste system.” Surprised at the police seeking video footage and transcript of Roy’s Mahatma Ayyankali memorial lecture at the Kerala University on July 17, Nandini K Oza in a recent blog quotes from available sources to “prove” that Gandhiji indeed believed in “removal of untouchability within the caste system.”

'Govts must walk the talk on gender equality, right to health, human rights to deliver SDGs by 2030'

By A Representative With just 64 months left to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global health and rights advocates have called upon governments to honour their commitments on gender equality and the human right to health. Speaking ahead of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), experts warned that rising anti-rights and anti-gender pushes are threatening hard-won progress on SDG-3 (health and wellbeing) and SDG-5 (gender equality).

Is U.S. fast losing its financial and technological edge under Trump’s second tenure?

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra* The United States, along with its Western European allies, once promoted globalization as a democratic force that would deliver shared prosperity and balanced growth. That promise has unraveled. Globalization, instead of building an even world, has produced one defined by inequality, asymmetry of power, and new vulnerabilities. For decades, Washington successfully turned this system to its advantage. Today, however, under Trump’s second administration, America is attempting to exploit the weaknesses of others without acknowledging how exposed it has become itself.

What mainstream economists won’t tell you about Chinese modernisation

By Shiran Illanperuma China’s modernisation has been one of the most remarkable processes of the 21st century and one that has sparked endless academic debate. Meng Jie (孟捷), a distinguished professor from the School of Marxism at Fudan University in Shanghai, has spent the better part of his career unpacking this process to better understand what has taken place.

Counterview

Search This Blog