A new media watchdog christened South Asian Media Commission, will monitor journalists' safety and violation of media rights and publish periodical reports. It is envisaged to respond with speed to such violations to press for remedial action.
The new mechanism came into place even as Union Information Broadcasting Minister, Priyaranjan Dasmunshi called for monitoring the pressure exerted by the corporate houses on the media. The Minister was inaugurating the SAARC Journalist Summit -III here Sunday afternoon at Hotel Ashok. "Journalists should look into the pressure of the corporate organisation on media. Journalists should give factual reports," he advised.
Meanwhile, the mechanism to highlight attacks on media people and organizations across South Asia was proposed here today at the maiden meeting of the South Asia Media Commission.
The mechanism is aimed at spreading the news of any violation of media rights or intimidation of journalists and their organizations through print, radio, electronic and internet networks simultaneously and instantly in all eight member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The theme of the day-long meeting of the Commission held ahead of the 14th SAARC Summit was 'Journalists above divides'.
The Commission, which met under the chairmanship the Editor of The Hindu N. Ram, set itself the task of devising codes of practice and guidelines for media organizations to deal with diverse situations affecting journalists. The Commission will also address the principles of media's own accountability, transparency and social responsibility.
Members of national chapters of the SAMC elected N. Ram, the Editor of The Hindu , as the chairperson and the editor of Pakistani English-language newspaper Daily Times, Najam Sethi, as the general secretary of the regional commission. Husain Naqi, a veteran journalist from Pakistan and editor of South Asia Media Monitor, will be the commission's coordinator. Another coordinator mainly a woman journalist from SAARC member countries other than India and Pakistan, would be chosen later.
Pointing to the challenges ahead, Ram also spoke of the tremendous opportunities through the explosive growth of newspapers and electronic and online media in South Asia at a time when large parts of the world were suffering over falling newspaper circulations and overall shrinkage.
Self-audit and critical evaluation of the media's own work was also emphasized by Imtiaz Alam, the Secretary General of South Asia Free Media Association. The South Asian Media Commission, whose formation has been facilitated by SAFMA today at the founding conference of SAMC, would like SAFMA, work on two tracks, firstly on the peace track promoting understanding among the people of the region, and secondly on the freedom of expression track.
The regional commission through its various national commissions would raise its voice on various issues in conflict situations and talk to governments and other stakeholders in the region, said Alam. He reminded the delegates from the eight countries that while SAFMA had taken more than six years since its formation in 2000 to expand in the eight countries of the Region, the Commission had a readymade start in all the nations of the region.
The Commission specially called for steps to reduce the information deficit and various shades of distrust by greater freedom of movement of journalists and media products across borders through measures like easier visa regulations and free movement of newspapers.
Meanwhile, at the SAARC Journalist Summit III, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister held out hope for the media, when he said that journalist can expect good news from the ensuing SAARC Summit. "You will not go empty handed," he emphasized. Journalist of South Asian Region has been demanding free flow of media men and media products.
Day III of the SAFMA journalist conference would discuss issues like access to and free flow of information, SAFMA's proposed protocol on free movement of journalist and media products. Foreign Ministers of SAARC countries including External Affairs Minister, Pranab Mukherjee are scheduled to address the conference on Monday.
