Joshi pitches for greater transparency, unbiased news coverage

Terming media not only the fourth pillar of democracy but also "one of its most important one", senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi today pitched for greater transparency and unbiased news coverage.
Talking about the difficulties the media industry is facing, he said owners of media houses ask editors to publish or air news according to their business interests.
The Kanpur MP asked journalists to follow in the footsteps of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, who he said, honestly carried out his journalistic duties during the freedom-struggle.
While speaking at a seminar on "Ethics in Media" organised by Clean Media Foundation at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Joshi praised a journalist who was credited with exposing the 2G spectrum scam.

Joshi, also a member of BJP's Margdarshak Mandal, called for rewarding such journalists who honestly carry out their duties without and fear or favour.
Speaking about his role as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Joshi said the spectrum scam was under his and his team's knowledge even before the CAG detected the irregularities.

Joshi said public broadcaster Doordarshan should show truth and not just be the "loudspeaker" of the government.
There is no harm in Doordarshan broadcasting government's achievements but it should not confine itself to this role, he said, as he launched the foundation's first international media journal 'Clean Media Annual'.

He called for the media to make a collective decision that interest of the nation always comes first. He criticised some TV channels and newspapers that portrayed terrorists as heroes.
The former HRD minister said nowadays, the focus is more on carrying negative news instead of positive ones.
Joshi also deplored practitioners of legal profession having become money-minded instead of being a tool for justice delivery.
Pitching for eradicating corruption in the education sector, he referred to universities where marksheets are given to students after paying a bribe and higher marks are awarded in return for cash.
He said corruption has spread so such an extent that mourning relatives carrying the body of a family member for the last rites have to pay bribe as there are so many formalities which make room for graft.

BHU Vice Chancellor G C Tripathi said students should inculcate imbibe the values of Malaviya and make efforts to work in public interest.