AIR advocates ethical reporting at correspondents’ workshop

Our Correspondent
Kohima, March 26 (EMN): Keeping in mind the role of the media in the electoral process, the regional news unit of the All India Radio (AIR) at Kohima organised a workshop for part-time correspondents, at Hotel Japfü, on March 26 in Kohima.
The chief electoral officer (CEO) of Nagaland, Abhijit Sinha, attended the inaugural session of the event as its chief guest. In his address, he urged the media personnel and news agencies to be impartial and neutral. This is to spread awareness among the people about ethical voting, he said. Saying that the primary objective of the media is to provide ‘fact news,’ he asked the media workers to cross check news items and disseminate what is correct. He added that the media must avoid favouritism to any particular candidate or party.

During the technical session, Additional CEO N Moa Aier spoke on the topic ‘role of media during elections.’ He said journalists will go a long way in bringing positive news. He urged them to play an impartial role. The media should be able to inform what is happening and not one’s view, he said.

Aier called upon the journalists to aim for ‘inquisitive reporting’ and educate the people about candidates and parties, providing them with unbiased reporting. He went on to say that there should not be any sort of ‘ism,’ caste, religion, colour considerations etc. when reporting as these are sensitive issues.

Jonas Yanthan, a news reader and Translator, gave guidelines to be used when covering elections. He said that the media should consider giving balanced news and be on guard against propaganda.
He asked the media agencies and journalists to be honest and ‘admit it frankly when major mistakes are made.’