Why speak ill of media, Mr Minister

Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA), while expressing concern over few recent comments of Assam’s powerful minister Himanta Biswa Sarma against a section of media stakeholders, urges him to exercise restrain over his outburst against the State based media as a whole. Emerged as an aggressive politician in the recent time, Sarma continues to denounce some media houses in the State taking advantage of their nonchalant attitude, but the forum argues that the practice would only create confusions and finally demoralize the entire media fraternity in the long run.

The media right’s forum, on the other hand, appeals to the media groups of Assam to follow the established guidelines while covering various sensitive issues. It pointed out that the mainstream media comprising news paper and news channels should empower themselves to face the growing challenges arising from its credibility crisis in the time of an invading and all pervasive social media.

“Media may be criticized (or even brought to the court) at anytime, but that should not go beyond the logic and limit,” said a statement issued by JFA president Rupam Barua and secretary Nava Thakuria, adding that a weak and compromised media would only help the selfish and anti-nationals to reap the benefits in the troubled water.