Giving a proper orientation to children on how to use media as part of their education has become crucial as the world was passing through a phase marked by immense growth of communication that provide all sorts of information on all kinds of subjects, Duabler-Gmelin said in an interaction with journalists here last night.
If children were taught the importance of media, and also their potential and dangers, that would equip them to make proper use of it as they grow up, especially in a democratic system, Daubler-Gmelin, a Social Democratic Party member,said.
Emphasising the need to promote ethical and responsible practices in journalism, Daubler-Gmelin, also a member of the European Commission's expert group on Freedom, said "democratic system requires good journalism."
Journalist unions had a vital role in promoting ethical and responsible media practices, she said.
She said in a democracy it was important to strengthen the public sector media and allow them to function in a free and fair manner, unlike the private media, which were often run on profit motives.
The programme was organised by Journalist Initiative for Media Democracy, Kerala, and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, New Delhi.