All India Journalists Conference:Democracy can succeed only if media acts responsibly says Jagadish Shettar

Tumkur October 13 :Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar said that the media can make or mar a democracy. After inaugurating the 66th national conference of journalists organised by the Indian Federation of Working Journalists and the Tumkur district unit of the Karnataka Working Journalists Association on the premises of Sridevi College of Engineering and Technology here on Friday, Mr. Shettar said that the media has a very important role to play in a democratic set-up. He said that the democratic system will be successful only when the media carried out its duties responsibly.

 Criticising the trend of airing “breaking news” among newsmen, he said that without analysing the adverse effect of sensationalising the news, the mediamen are airing “breaking news” that causes harm to society. He said that the media have to exercise restraint while airing such news. He said that crime is glorified which affects society and encourages anti-social elements to indulge in such incidents. Over 2,000 journalists from different States and 10 journalists from Sri Lanka are taking part in the conference.