National Press Day 2019: “Reporting-Interpretation: A Journey”

The National Press Day- November 16 - is symbolic of a free and responsible press in India. It was the day when the Press Council of India started functioning as a moral watchdog to ensure that not only did the news maintain the high standards expected from this powerful medium but also that it was not fettered by the influence or threats of any extraneous factors.

This year the Council opened up the debates and discussions and the theme of National Press Day 2019 as "Reporting - Interpretation: A Journey". Also, to encourage the media to pursue its duties effectively without fear or favour following the dictum of 'freedom with responsibility', the Council, has instituted National Awards to honour journalists excelling in print journalism in various fields. This year the prestigious "Raja Ra Mohan Roy Award" was presented to Shri Gulab Kothari, eminent journalist and chairman of Rajasthan Patrika Private Limited.

2019 marked a unique National Press day in many aspects:

• The first time, a directory with names of the members & chairman of the Council from 1966 till date was revealed.

• The award category added fields like "Gender-Based Reporting", "Sports Reporting, "Financial Reporting", and "The Best Newspapers Art: covering, cartoons, Caricatures and Illustration."

The chief guest of the event Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, said that "News should not be mixed with views, responsible reporting is the duty of a journalist. While Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar said that "the current government is ensuring full freedom to media and press freedom in India was harmed just once during the time of emergency." "There is a need for responsible freedom," he added.

The chairman of Press Council of India, Mr Justice Chandramauli Kumar Prasad said in his speech that "reporters have a lot of facts, it is their right to look for perspectives but given facts, journalists cannot interpret the report."

Press Council of India

It was constituted on November 16, 1966, as a statutory, quasi-judicial institution. The Press Council of India assures the independent work and high standards of the press in India. It also ensures that the media in India is not affected by any outside matter. The Press Council of India plays an important role to maintain a flourishing democracy in the country.

November 16, therefore, personifies a responsible and free press in the country. All those who cherish it, so commemorate the day.

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