'Media facing greater challenges as against Emergency period'

A group of journalists today expressed serious concern over the recent killings of media personnel and was of the opinion that media is facing greater challenges as it is pitted against "unseen" forces as opposed to the Emergency period when enemies were more "identifiable".
At a panel discussion organised by the Press Club of India on the eve of the anniversary of Emergency imposed in 1975, the senior journalists also discussed methods to make the profession immune to political and corporate pressure.
"The only difference between now and 40 years ago is that there you could identify your enemies... Today the enemy is unseen. It is a hydra headed monster," said Rajdeep Sardesai, consulting editor at the India Today group.

His remark that there were adversaries "within the profession" was echoed by other panelists such as Jansatta editor Om Thanvi and Caravan magazine political editor Hartosh Singh Bal who lamented the working conditions of 'stringers'.
Bal said the fundamental questions staring the profession were "cross-media ownership" and rights of journalists.
He said that one of the practical solutions was to expand the scope of the definition of 'Working Journalists Act' by including television media under its purview.

"Contrary to perceptions, the provisions of the Working Journalists Act hold true for a contractual journalist as well," Bal said.
Calling for a dialogue between the media and the public, news anchor Ravish Kumar wondered how "exterminating journalists would help in sustaining a democratic polity".

However, DD News' senior consulting editor K G Suresh disagreed with the suggestion that Emergency-like situation persists saying the country had "moved ahead".
He said there were challenges within and media freedom could not be "treated in isolation" and listed the "collapse" of unions and "non-implementation" of wage board recommendations.
"A social security mechanism should be developed for journalists," he said.
But Thanvi aired his dissent with Suresh and questioned if there were no remnants of Emergency "why people are scared of writing and voicing their opinion? What are they scared of?"
The journalists also urged the Press Club to hammer out a practical solution to address the concerns and woes of journalists by forging a coalition of press clubs across the country.