Silvester D'Souza

Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (MS)

Kundapur, Nov 13: "Legislative, Executive and Judiciary are the only three organs that are mentioned in our Constitution. There is not fourth organ called media. We are the ones, who pay salary to the people who work in legislative, executive and judiciary. They are paid from the tax payers' money. So the people have the right to question them. However, Media is not being paid by the government. But I do not know why media is being addressed as the fourth estate of our constitution. Media is not the fourth estate of the constitution. Journalists have to agree to this reality and look into their conscience," said journalist and thinker Dinesh Amin Mattu.

Dinesh Mattu was speaking at the office bearer installation ceremony of Kundapur Taluk Working Journalists' Association that was held on November 12 at the Kalamandir of Kundapur Junior college. He gave his keynote address on the topic 'Journalist on cross roads (Kavaludariyalli Pathrakarha)'.

Mattu further said, "Today media is no more a profession. It is an industry. Media does not mean investing and getting profits out of it. The root cause of all our issues lie in this point itself. When a profession gets commercialised, the one who is associated with it has to face the bad consequences. When we say 'Kavaludariyalli Pathrakartha', I feel that the journalist is stuck on the way directionless.

"If there is a thing that is sold for a price less than its cost of production, then it is only a newspaper in this world. Newspapers are not indebted to the reader. The newspaper is not running by the money given by the reader to buy the newspaper. But those who run newspapers have good relation with the readers. However, in electronic media, there is no relation between the viewer and the owner of the channel. Till this type of business relation is not changed media will be on cross roads, sitting directionless.

"It is possible to run a newspaper successfully in a society that is aware of the happenings. If the newspaper loses its credibility it becomes a scrap paper. The reader reads the newspapers. However, he does not believe in the newspapers. In Pakistan and Bangladesh, the newspapers are priced at Rs 10 to 15. But in our country the newspapers are sold for Rs four or five like selling peanuts. People who read low priced newspapers say that they are not correct. But the readers themselves are responsible for the newspaper to approach the feet of advertisers."

Senior journalist Ramakrishna Herle did the introductory speech. Journalist Raghavendra Pai welcomed the gathering. Journalist Srikant Hemmadi rendered the vote of thanks. The programme was compered by journalist Jayashekhar Madappady.