IMPHAL, October 26: A daylong workshop about rural media in Imphal was conducted under the aegis of the Press Information Bureau, of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, at the Manipur Press Club in Imphal on Wednesday.
The inaugural session of the workshop saw the presence of K Radhakumar, commissioner of Information and Public Relations (IPR), of the government of Manipur, as the event’s chief guest.
In his address, IPR Commissioner K Radhakumar emphasized the need for such workshops and ‘awareness programmes’ for the media. The media must know the details of flagship welfare programmes of the government. Any misinterpretation of any such programmes ‘may lead people in a different way,’ he said.
For instance, Radhakumar said, the media should know the difference between ‘Make in India’ and ‘Made in India’, and ‘Look East Policy’ and ‘Act East Policy’, and so on.
Also, the commissioner stressed further on the importance of balanced reporting by the media. The media and ethics that govern it is an important issue that the media fraternity must keep in mind and they should not compromise it at any cost, he said.
Also, the president of the function, IPR Director K Meghachandra emphasised on the indispensable role the media plays in the development of a country and community. He talked about the media as a platform that can reach the people in both the rural and the urban areas of any community.
He added that the government must also take the service of the media in ‘assimilating policy and programmes to the people of all sections.’ The government also needs to set up “information outposts” in every nook and corner of the state or country, he said maintaining that without developing the rural and remote areas, no community would develop.
In his address as guest of honour, Programme Executive Manibabu Likmabam of DDK of Imphal also stressed on the role of the media in development. He hoped that workshops would enhance the capability of the media in reporting government policies and programmes
