Media plays a crucial role in strengthening and activating democracy. Accurate news dissemination and constructive criticism enrich democratic processes. However, in the current global scenario, misinformation spread by media often raises questions about the press’s credibility. Self-regulated media has a history of contributing to society-building and protecting democracy. Therefore, responsible media representatives should verify the authenticity of every piece of news before bringing it to public attention, as expressed by the guests at the event.
The state-level National Press Day was observed today at the conference hall of the Information and Public Relations Department. Speaking as the chief guest, former Professor of Political Science at Utkal University, Surya Narayan Mishra, stated that the media has always clarified its policy towards safeguarding democracy. Shedding light on this year’s theme provided by the Press Council of India, “Preserving Media Credibility in the Context of Increasing Misinformation,” he emphasised that the media should avoid disseminating false or misleading news and instead provide accurate information to the public, thereby creating awareness. He urged the media to self-determine its role in this regard.
As the keynote speaker, Assistant Professor at Ravenshaw University, Dr. Devilal Mishra, said that a thorough review of every fact is necessary before broadcasting news. He opined that misinformation is harmful to both democracy and society.
Presiding over the program, Director of the Information and Public Relations Department, Anuj Kumar Das Patnaik, noted that candidates in various competitive examinations have always relied on the media. By basing their knowledge on media-provided information, they have achieved success at multiple levels and enhanced their understanding. Therefore, he stressed that responsible media outlets should avoid misinformation during news dissemination.
As the guest of honour, Director (Technical) Gurbir Singh, remarked that even unintentional false news can be detrimental to society and democracy. Hence, media representatives must remain vigilant while broadcasting news. Senior journalist Pitabas Mishra also shared his views during the meeting.
On this occasion, the winners of the college-level Odia and English speech competitions were awarded. In the Odia speech competition, Simran from Birla Global University secured first place, Sashwati Priyadarshini from Utkal University took second, and Barsha Nayak from Buxi Jagabandhu Autonomous College claimed third. Similarly, in the English speech competition, Samina T. Gandwa from KIIT University won first, Krishna Priyadarshini Hota from BJB Autonomous College got second, and Archita Bhanj from Birla Global University received third.
For their cooperation in the newspaper exhibition, Sashank Shekhar Das of ‘Paperman India’ was honored on behalf of the department.
In connection with the state-level National Press Day, a newspaper exhibition was held at the local Jaydev Bhawan, inaugurated by Additional Chief Secretary Hemant Sharma.
The exhibition featured numerous ancient and international newspapers, including 93 periodicals, 17 foreign newspapers, 240 Odia dailies and old newspapers, totalling 501 newspapers and magazines.
Deputy Director Sucheta Priyadarshini introduced the guests, while Information Officer Rozalin Sahu conducted the program. The event was attended by departmental officials, numerous media representatives, and intellectuals.
