Small section giving media bad name: senior journalist

A "small section" of media is giving it a bad name, senior journalist Shashi Kumar said here today.
He was speaking on 'media and communal politics' this evening here as part a two-day conclave on "celebrating freedom and pluralism".
"We are at a defining moment now, not just for the nation, but the media as well. There are sins of commission and omission of the media which we need to be ashamed about," he said.
"What has defined Indian democracy is a free media... Recent acts are creating a crisis of confidence in media. A small section of media is giving the media a bad name," he said.

"Bad elements in journalism are getting sanctified... We need to ask for a media reform in the country. We need a right to information from media," Kumar said.
Senior journalist P Sainath said, "They've managed to sell the national versus anti-national debate."

"Last 25-30 years have been disgraceful to journalism. There are larger processes at work destroying journalism, taking an anchor out will not help," he said.
Corporatisation of the media is to blamed for the present state of affairs in media, Sainath said.
"There's a case for democratisation of media. Let's try taking it back to people and societies," he said.

"Indian media is politically-free, but imprisoned by profits.... I believe this country is ruled by a coalition of socio-religious fundamentalists and market economics," Sainath said.
Senior Marathi journalist Nikhil Wagle said, "The present period is the worst days in my 35-year-old career.
"I'm not surprised by the attacks on the media. Today, there is state sanction for the attacks, which was not the case earlier," he claimed.
"We should develop an alternate media, owned by people and one which will stand up for the people," Wagle said.