Ziro Press Club Inaugurated, Appa Urges Media to Uphold Ethics

ZIRO I Aug I 13:

 “The Media, Forth Pillar of democracy, could make or mar the image of other three pillars, namely Legislature, Judiciary and Executive, if it fails to follow the ethics of journalism, said Ziro-Hapoli lawmaker Hage Appa as chief guest after digitally inaugurating Ziro Press Club (ZPC) here Tuesday. 

 Arunachal Press Club (APC) president Dodum Yangfo earlier handed over the certificate to ZPC president Hage Pinji and general secretary Tage Laling to officially affiliate the club to APC, the first such club in the state to create a history to the thunderous applause of the gathering. 

 “If all functionaries work within their assigned jurisdiction nothing would go wrong for the society to move ahead normally”, said Appa, a former PWD chief engineer, adding that few media persons violate the ethics prescribed by the Press Council of India (PCI) and resort to publishing fake news to create misunderstanding in the society. 

“Media persons should have the guts to point out lapses of the ruling Govt by flowing against the current, which is a tough job. But it is the mandated duty of the media to report the truth without any biasness to earn respect and faith of the society,” he said citing the example of some news channel reflecting one sides views.

Appreciating former Arunachal Times editor late Taso Grayu and pioneer journalist Pradeep Kumar Behera, he recalled that late Taro Chatung after quitting service as circle officer became the pioneer electronic journalist and with his typical style became very popular, but all of them became role models for others to emulate.

Responding to a memorandum of ZPC seeking centrally located 1500 sq feet land with power and water supply and other essential services for establishing its office for smooth functioning, the MLA assured to take step in that direction.

The superlative word ‘first’ signifies lot of responsibilities like American astronaut Neil Armstrong was first to land and walk on the Moon on 21.07.1969, said Lower Subansiri DC Vivek HP, speaking a guest of honour, adding that other press clubs would follow the ZPC.

“With power comes lot of responsibilities,” he said and hoped that the ZPC team would not let down the image of the district and call a spade a spade as per PCI guidelines for the budding journalists to follow suit. Referring to earlier speakers that media houses have been mushrooming to create lot of noises which was natural toeing the ‘Freedom of speech’ guaranteed by the Constitution of India, he said and termed such outcome as innovative and experimentation even by making sensationalized news.

“Initially the DD was giving news for limited time only and none ever thought of present 24-hour news channels, which have been deliberating on very relevant issues. The AIR FM service was initially disturbing due to lot of news, the DC, an electronics engineer, said adding that an amplifier was added to amplify the news and the listeners adjusted the receivers that reduced the noises for clarity.

The APC and Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) have to take steps to reduce the noises to improve the quality of news, he said. He lauded the local media for facilitating deposit of 98% guns during last election, the highest in state’s political history, for honest media coverage of his warning to cancel licenses if any one fails to deposit the gun in police station, he recalled and added that an exception was made to include media persons in Chief Minister Aryogya Arunachal Yojana (CMAAY) when he was special health secretary.
Dodum, in his address earlier, lauded Ziro for churning out marvelous journalists, like late Taro Chatting, late Tasso Gray, Arunachal Front editor Nain Coin and hoped that the ZPC would follow PCI guidelines, which serve as Bible or Koran or Gita for journalists, to set example.

Insisting that the journalists should neither cross their limit nor behave like judges to give verdict before the real happening, he called for working with sensitiveness and responsibility to get APC support always. He also hinted at proposing to the Govt to grant corpus fund for non-working journalists like that of working journalists before handing over a computer set to ZPC for effective functioning. APUWJ president Amar Sangno, in his address, said that the affiliation of ZPC is historic and next club of Pasight is likely to be affiliated in November next.

Recalling the history said that the union was formed by former PTI bureau chief P B Dasgupta, ANI bureau chief A K Bhattacharjya and Hindusthan Samachar chief Prem Bahdur Rai in 1975 but took shape only in 1981. However, APC in the name of Itanagar Press Club was formed on 04.10.82 by them in the house of former IPR director Luminous late Lummer Dai, which was inaugurated by then chief minister Gegong Apang on 19.05.95 in a small room of forest department in Itanagar’s Indira Gandhi Park and present huge APC building was inaugurated by present CM Pema Khandu on 16.11.22 at Ganga, he informed.

Regrettably, quality journalism of late has been taking nose dive despite which should be scrutinized by the society to identify credible journalists following PCI guidelines in letter and spirit, he said, adding the state Govt has been supporting media with mission mode as working journalists have been covered under the CMAAY. Moreover, pension of Rs 25,000 PM for working journalists, who have working for 20 years nonstop and completed 60-year of age though sanctioned in 2020 was delayed, but during a meeting of APC and APUWJ executive body members on 06.08.24, CM Khandu has assured to implement it soon and senior journalist Pradeep Kumar would be legible first to anvil it , he said. Zilla parishad chairperson Adv Pura Dolo quoting the conational provision of reasonable restriction by media, particularly on issue of national security said that media persons have to be disciplined for healthy practice of journalism.

The Fourth Pillar has a vital role to play in a democracy and it should act with objective and accuracy as it corner stone, said Tanii Supun Dukun president HK Shalla, a former bureaucrat, as a special invitee. ZPC spokesman Tamang Habung committed to follow the PCI guidelines, while addressing the gathering, including host of journalists, namely APC vice president Bengia Ajum, APUWJ general secretary Sonam Jelly and DY365 representative Mukul Pathak, members of civil society and mass communication students of St Clariat College.

The function was punctuated by colourful cultural presentations by local teams while Koj Sonia, a teacher, inject life to the event with her meaningful anchoring.