Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

PM's address at the meeting of Indian Languange Newspapers Associations

"I am delighted to have this opportunity to meet a very celebrated group of journalists and newspapermen from Indian language publication. Each one of you has played and is playing an important role in the process of nation building. I compliment you and particularly those who have won the very prestigious awards of ILNA for the very impressive performance of Indian Languages papers in recent years.

There is concern all over the world over that the growth of television and internet threatens the survival of print media. In many countries, readership of newspapers is declining. Even in India, there is a deceleration in the growth of English language publications. Despite these developments, I am very happy to note that Indian language newspapers have bucked this trend. I am heartened to learn that the readership and circulation of Indian language newspapers is growing rapidly. I commend you for your efforts.

We have witnessed, in India, an unprecedented growth both in readership and viewership of media. Rising literacy rates, growing political awareness and rising levels of incomes, along with processes of urbanisation, have contributed to this phenomena. It may be no exaggeration to suggest that we are living through a golden era of Indian media. The expansion of your market has contributed to greater employment opportunities as well as the growth of other media related industries and services. I compliment you for your spirit of adventure, enterprise and creativity.

This growth has also widened the choice available to your readers and viewers. There is much greater variety, today, in terms of opinion and coverage. Depending on one's outlook, income and interest, one can pick and choose a newspaper or a channel of one's choice. Such diversity is always good in a democracy. I am also impressed by the quality of printing and production in Indian languages publication. All of this, we must celebrate. I am sure your organisation has reasons to feel satisfied about these impressive aspects of the growth of your profession.

On the other hand, I must draw your attention to certain issues and urge you to reflect on them. I have said in the past that the quantitative growth we have witnessed in Indian media has outpaced qualitative growth. This is understandable partly because demand has been outstripping the supply of well trained journalists. In the long run, I hope, as supply adjust this problem will get addressed. But it does need the attention of your industry.

I sincerely hope that your Association will pay greater attention to the challenge of improving the quality of journalism in our country. You are the medium through which the message of modernisation, the message of development, the message of national integration and the message of social justice must go to the far corners of our country. You have to promote communal harmony and secular values, which are the bedrock of our nation. You have a vital role to play in the transformation of our society and our polity.

This is no doubt an onerous responsibility placed on the shoulders of Indian language media. The vast majority of our people see the world through your eyes. They see changes happening in our country and in their own regions through your coverage. Their thinking is shaped by the opinions you express through your newspapers. The challenge before you, therefore, is to help take India forward by changing the mindsets of our population. Modernisation is not just about better infrastructure, not about mere more creative comforts or the way we dress and live. Modernisation in the final analysis is an attitude of the state of the mind of our people.

In an ancient land like India, successful modernisation must be rooted in our enduring traditions and socio-cultural values. At the same time, we must adapt some of these values, some of these norms to suit the needs of changing time. For example, our attitude towards the caste, our attitude towards women and to manual work. These must change so that our people, particularly our women and the downtrodden sections of our society do feel that they are part of the processes of social change and our effective partners in processes of social and economic development.

Modernisation is not westernisation. It is not a rejection of all the values that define our ancient culture and civilisation. Modernisation should be viewed as a means of dealing with the world as it is changing. It should be a process by which we embrace all that is good and creative in the new ideas and the new experiences that define the world around us. I hope our editors and journalists can implant this idea firmly in the minds of our people so that as a nation we are better equipped to deal with the winds of change.

In a democracy, the media has to play a watch dog role. We in government do benefit enormously from the criticism and the corrective advice of the media. We have today a large number of grassroot programmes which seek to empower our people to become active partners in the processes of development. If these programmes are implemented honestly and effectively, they can certainly change the face of rural India in the next four or five years. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme, which we have decided to extend now to all rural districts of our country, if implemented honestly and sincerely will put a flow over rural income and certainly we will be able to soften very considerably the harsh edges of extreme poverty. But there are leakages, there are administrative inadequacy and it the duty of the media and other civil society agents to highlight these weakness so that these programme can be implemented in the spirit which has guided their implementation. This is all necessary in a democracy. However, criticism should not promote cynicism or negativism. It should encourage positive change and give hope to our people. I welcome such criticism and I hope our media will continue to play a positive developmental role and strengthen our country and empower our people and strengthen the bonds of communion and community feeling, fellow feeling among various citizens of our great country. Shri Sunil Dang has referred to certain issues which require attention . I had, in fact, mention to the my colleague the Hon'ble Minister for Information and Broadcasting that the small and medium newspapers have genuine difficulties and considering their importance in the development processes of a country as vast as ours, it is the solemn duty of the government to do all that we can in the process of expansion and development of this segment of the newspaper industry.

The Hon'ble Minister, he is not here, but he has assured me that he will apply himself to this areas, I believe, some measures have been introduced, I think, only yesterday. But I think, if more is needed we would be very happy to sit together with editors and journalists from yours sector to find out what are the genuine difficulties which we ought to be seeking to redress. You have my assurence that we will work to that object. Our government, I assure you, will do whatever is necessary to help the development of Indian language media. I hope your association will articulate the hopes and aspirations of Indian language media and guide us as to how we can be genuine partners in progress in years to come. With these words, I wish your deliberations all success and I should say that I was greatly encouraged by the awards that have been given today they show, but a great promise and potential, the Indian language newspapers have been our country. May your try continue to flourish, may your path be blessed."