Press Council of India chairman Justice G.N. Ray expressed grave concern over the growing trend of monopolisation of media and cross media ownership in the country and urged to formulate act to prevent it in the interest of preserving democratic values.
Citing several instances where the newspapers are venturing into the electronic media by launching television channels and monopolising the media he opined that such attempts should be stopped through suitable legislation. America and Australia has already done it and there is no reason why we won’t be able to do it, he added.
Addressing a seminar on “Save Ethics, Save Media”, organised by Tripura Journalists Union Justice Ray said most of the media houses has turned into industrial houses and urged the journalists to stand against such move. He said such move has already started and the Tamil Nadu Journalists Association has decided to launch their own newspaper where the reporters will be free to vent their own views.
He also expressed concern over the latest menace of paid news syndrome that emerged as a grave threat to the freedom of expression. He said this phenomena came into fore in a massive way during the last general election when different newspaper worked for certain political party on payment basis. He said by this time it took a much more serious turn.