Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Mar 23: After legislators from across the parties came together on Wednesday March 22 to accuse the media of transgressing limits of decency and decorum, besides often becoming irresponsible and indulging in character assassination of honourable persons, assembly speaker, K B Koliwad, announced that he would be setting up a house committee to draft rules and regulations to ensure that the media houses function within their limits.

The legislators who spoke in both houses of the state legislature were particularly critical of some electronic media for encroaching upon fundamental rights of individuals by crossing their limits. They accused the media of trying to become judgmental about the character of public personalities and also trying to blackmail them. "Some of the media have been spreading news which can be detrimental to the peace and health of the society. There is an urgent need to block their efforts to indulge in personal glorification through suitable laws," many of them said.

Some of the speakers agreed that there are many good persons in media who adhere to principles and professional ethics and they have high respect for these people. At the same time, they showed concern at the increasing number of media representatives who manufacture news in order to gain by way of TRP.

Some speakers who poured out their anger and impatience about some of the electronic media wanted to question the source of wealth and properties accumulated by the owners of certain media houses. "At district level, some reporters of electronic media have formed a mafia and are indulging in business," some of them stated.

Some of the legislators addressed media persons in singular for shedding sense of respect and shame when creating fake news. The legislators were also angry at the fact that some of the media have been functioning as complainants, advocates, and judges, by sitting inside their air-conditioned cabins. They challenged these porters to fight elections like the MLAs and show their mettle.

As the speaker was lenient in allowing the members to go on speaking out their minds on this issue under a rule that provides for discussing issues of public importance, the legislators lapped up the opportunity and poured out their anger for about four hours, at the end of which the speaker said he would form a house committee for drafting suitable rules to contain the media from going overboard.