GUWAHATI, Nov 17 - Senior journalists underscored the need to focus on true journalism by way of highlighting the plight of the common man, while also pleading for solution to their perennial problems, on National Press Day yesterday which was observed across the State with a series of programmes.
Staff Correspondent reports from Jorhat: The Jorhat district administration in association with the Jorhat Press Club organised a function at the conference hall of the Jorhat Circuit House to observe the Day.
A discussion on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the media and role of media during the period was held on the occasion. Jorhat DC Roshni A Korati along with several district administration officials and mediapersons attended the meeting.
Our correspondents add:
Tezpur: The COVID-19 situation has brought in far-reaching changes to humankind. Each and every walk of life has been affected in one way or another, leading to unprecedented conditions. Guidelines and precautions for keeping the novel coronavirus at bay have caused major problems for the media and entertainment industry.
This was stated by Prof Dr Abhijit Bora from the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Tezpur University (TU), while speaking on �Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on media and role of media during this situation� during the National Press Day celebration yesterday.
He added that despite the pandemic, however, the media industry would survive in the near as well as the distant future, although there would be a lot of changes. Sonitpur DC Manvendra Pratap Singh attended the programme organized by the district administration and the DIPR office at the district library. The Department of the Mass Communication and Journalism of Tezpur University also observed the day.
Dhemaji: The Dhemaji Press Club also observed the Day at the Press Club Bhawan. The function was chaired by Premananda Talukdar, president of the Press Club. The objective was stated by Harendra Sarma, secretary of the club. Veteran journalist Umesh Chetia highlighted different aspects of journalism and its role and responsibilities.
Barpeta: Though journalists and doctors have all along been frontline warriors against the pandemic, the role of journalists, in certain cases, has been more important than that of doctors, opined former journalist Dr Babul Ch Das, retired professor, MC College, Barpeta.
Addressing a seminar on �Influence of Covid-19 pandemic on media and role of journalists� organised by the Barpeta district administration in association with the DIPR Office, Das asserted that be it print or electronic media, people, without Press, would have become ignorant about social distancing, use of sanitizer, quarantine and importance of hand washing. When the people kept themselves confined at home during the lockdown, journalists were moving around to keep them updated about the happenings in the world.
Inaugurating the seminar, Barpeta DC Munindra Sarma said that the Press Council of India is the guardian of the Press. He lauded the positive role of journalists in the district and hoped that the media would continue to play a pivotal role in the development and welfare of society in the future. Senior journalist Sunil Kr Das, who was felicitated on this auspicious occasion, said the Press Council of India is responsible for the freedom of press in India, but he warned against excessive freedom.
Earlier, DIPR officer Bikash Sarma presented an overview of the significance of the day. Rich tributes were paid to the journalists of the district who departed in the last one year. They include veterans like Bhubaneswar Barman, Tarun Chandra Goswami, Serifuddin Ahmed and Arnab Jyoti Deka.
The Barpeta Press Club and the All Assam Journalists� Union too observed the day.
Sivasagar: National Press Day was observed in different parts of the district yesterday. Senior journalist of Moran Sovit Chetri spoke on �Role of media in mitigating COVID-19 impact� in a meeting organized by the district administration in association with the Sivasagar Press Club. Chetri urged mediapersons to focus on the right areas to guide the readers. Inaugurating the meeting, Sivasagar DC Lakhinandan Gogoi said that it would have been quite impossible to contain the destruction of COVID-19 without media�s help.
Dergaon: An all Assam open e-quiz on press, media and journalism was organised in Dergaon via online forum on the occasion of National Press Day.
ANN Service from Sualkuchi: Senior bureaucrat Binod Sechan underscored the need to focus on true journalism while inaugurating a programme on the occasion of National Press Day here jointly organized by the Kamrup district administration and Kamrup District Journalists� Association. Sechan said journalists should play a proactive role in highlighting the problems of society.
Addressing the meeting, Kamrup SP Partha Sarathi Mahanta also appealed to journalists to focus on the rural issues. The meeting was attended by Kamrup DC Kailash Karthik N and executive editor of Asomia Khabar Bishjit Das. Pranab Das, DIPRO Kamrup, explained the objective of the meeting while president of the district journalists association Madhusudan Medhi gave a welcome speech.