Self-regulation of media has not worked in India: Verghese

Favouring regulation of press, senior journalist B G Verghese today said self-regulation of media had not worked in the country.
"Media does need regulation. In democratic society, the media is unregulated. You cannot drive a high speed car unless you have good brakes. Here the media has power of technology ...Tremendous power, but no brakes.
"It calls for self regulation, but self regulation itself has failed," Verghese said.
Verghese was part of a panel assembled to deliver a lecture on the occasion of birth centenary of eminent journalist Nikhil Chakravartty. Other members of the panel were senior journalists Kuldip Nayar, H K Dua, Seema Mustafa and Neeraja Chowdhury.

Verghese also said that the Press Council of India (PCI), to a large extent, did not command the authority as a watchdog of the media, and was badly constituted.
Agreeing with Verghese, Nayar advocated constituting a Press Commission to look into any violation of media ethics in the wake of increasing number of news channels and newspapers.

"This will also help in upholding the credibility of the media," he said.
Rajya Sabha MP and senior journalist H K Dua noted that some regions and rural areas of the country were not being given sufficient coverage by the media, along with some important issues.

"Parts like the Northeast India, villages, small towns, even the periphery is not covered. Vital issues like water sanitation are not covered properly," Dua said.
The panel also lamented the increasing influence of the corporate sector on the media, which according to them was hindering the objectivity of news organisations.