ZPC inaugurated
ZIRO, 13 Aug: Media, the Fourth Pillar of democracy, could make or mar the image of the other three pillars, namely, legislature, judiciary and executive, if they fail to follow the ethics of journalism, said Ziro-Hapoli lawmaker Hage Appa after digitally inaugurating the Ziro Press Club (ZPC) here in Lower Subansiri district on Tuesday.
Arunachal Press Club (APC) President Dodum Yangfo earlier handed over the certificate to ZPC President Hage Pinji and General Secretary Tage Laling to officially affiliate the club to the APC, the first such club in the state to create a history.
“If all the functionaries work within their assigned jurisdiction, nothing will go wrong for the society to move ahead normally,” said Appa, a former PWD chief engineer, adding that “a few mediapersons violate the ethics prescribed by the Press Council of India (PCI) and resort to publishing fake news to create misunderstandings in the society.”
“Mediapersons should have the guts to point out lapses of the ruling government by flowing against the current, which is a tough job. But it is the mandated duty of the media to report the truth without any bias to earn the respect and faith of the society,” he said, citing the example of some news channels reflecting one-sided views.
Expressing appreciating for former editor of The Arunachal Times, late Tasso Grayu and pioneer journalist Pradeep Kumar Behera, he recalled that “late Taro Chatung, after quitting service as a circle officer, became the pioneer electronic journalist, and with his typical style became very popular, but all of them became role models for others to emulate.”
Responding to a memorandum from the ZPC, seeking a centrally-located 1,500 sq feet plot of land with power and water supply and other essential services for establishing its office, the MLA assured to “take step in that direction.”
“The superlative word ‘first’ signifies lot of responsibilities, like American astronaut Neil Armstrong was the first to land and walk on the moon on 21.07.1969,” said Lower Subansiri DC Vivek HP, adding that “other press clubs will follow the ZPC.”
“With power come a lot of responsibilities,” he said, and expressed hope that the ZPC team “will not let down the image of the district, and call a spade a spade, as per the PCI guidelines for the budding journalists to follow suit.”
Referring to the mushrooming of media houses, he said that “it is natural toeing the freedom of speech guaranteed by the Constitution of India,” and termed the development “an innovative experimentation, even by making sensationalized news.”
“Initially, the DD was giving news for a limited time only, and no one ever thought of the present 24-hour news channels, which have been deliberating on very relevant issues. The AIR FM service was initially disturbing due to lot of news,” the DC, an electronics engineer, said, adding that “an amplifier was added to amplify the news and the listeners adjusted the receivers that reduced the noises for clarity.”
The APC and the Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) have to take steps to reduce the noises to improve the quality of news, he said.
He lauded the local media “for facilitating deposit of 98 per cent guns during the last election – the highest in the state’s political history.” He further said that “an exception was made to include mediapersons in the Chief Minister Aryogya Arunachal Yojana when I was the special health secretary.”
Earlier, Yangfo in his address lauded Ziro for “churning out marvellous journalists like late Taro Chatting, late Tasso Grayu, and the Arunachal Front editor Nani Kojin,” and expressed hope that the ZPC would follow the PCI guidelines, “which serve as the Bible or the Quran or the Gita for journalists, to set example.”
Stating that “journalists should neither cross their limit nor behave like judges to give verdict before the real happening,” he called for “working with sensitiveness and responsibility to get the APC’s support always.”
He also hinted at proposing to the government to grant corpus fund for non-working journalists, similar to the grant for the working journalists, and handed over a computer set to the ZPC.
APUWJ President Amar Sangno in his address said that “the affiliation of the ZPC is historic and the next club of Pasighat is likely to be affiliated in November.”
He said that the APUWJ was formed by former UNI bureau chief late AK Bhattacharya, former PTI bureau chief P B Dasgupta, and Hindusthan Samachar chief Prem Bahdur Rai in 1981.
“However, the APC, in the name of Itanagar Press Club, was formed on 04.10.82 by them in the house of former IPR director late Lummer Dai, which was inaugurated by the then chief minister Gegong Apang on 19.05.95 in a small room of the forest department in Itanagar’s Indira Gandhi Park.”
“At present, the APC is housed in a huge building. It was inaugurated by present CM Pema Khandu on 16.11.22,” he informed.
“Regrettably, quality journalism has been taking a nosedive of late, which should be scrutinised by the society to identify credible journalists following the PCI guidelines in letter and spirit,” he said, adding that “the state government has been supporting the media in a mission mode as working journalists have been covered under the CMAAY.”
“Moreover, pension of Rs 25,000 per month for working journalists who have working nonstop for 20 years and have completed 60 years of age, though sanctioned in 2020 was delayed; but during a meeting with the APC and APUWJ executive body members on 06.08.24, the CM assured to implement it soon, and senior journalist Pradeep Kumar would be eligible first to avail of it,” he said.
ZPC Pura Dolo said that “mediapersons have to be disciplined for healthy practice of journalism.”
“The Fourth Pillar has a vital role to play in a democracy, and it should act with objectivity and accuracy, as it is the cornerstone,” said Tanii Supun Dukun president HK Shalla, a former bureaucrat, who attended the function as a guest.
ZPC spokesman Tamang Habung pledged to follow the PCI guidelines, addressing the gathering, which included a host of journalists, including APC Vice President Bengia Ajum, APUWJ General Secretary Sonam Jelly, and DY365 representative Mukul Pathak, besides members of civil society and mass communication students of St Clariat College.
The function was punctuated by colourful cultural presentations by local talents, while Koj Sonia, a teacher, injected life to the event with her meaningful anchoring.