The raid at the office of NewsClick in Delhi and the arrest of its editor Prabir Purkayastha are a warning shot. It is a warning for the entire media. ‘‘If the media are still going to ignore the warning we are digging our own grave,’‘ R. Rajagopal, Editor-at-Large, The Telegraph, has said.
Mr. Rajagopal was here on Tuesday to receive the Prof. V. Aravindakshan Memorial Award.
“The NewsClick was targeted by the present regime even before. The NewsClick was one of the media groups, which extensively covered the farmers’ agitation. The raid may be a vengeance action against it,” he pointed out.
It is a warning against other media groups too. This action reminds us that this regime will not forget or forgive. But mainstream media does not realise it.
“Media groups still fail to unite even in the face of a crisis. If we don’t stand together it will happen to anyone. Unfortunately, the media organisations fight each other, worse than political parties. There is no co-operation between media groups. They are like crabs trying to pull others down. No healthy discussion is happening between the media to protect fair journalism,” he said.
For example, if the media groups would have formed a news pool to share news from Manipur, the issues would have received better coverage. People too have a responsibility to support ethical media, he said.
Even when media owners unite in the case of economic fronts, they are divided on political and ideological lines.
The editor-at-large, of the Telegraph, a newspaper, which is noted for its high- decibel front page headlines spoke about politics of media headlines.
Speaking after inaugurating the award function, senior CPI(M) leader and polit bureau member M.A. Baby said society is indebted to Mr. Rajagopal for his sincere and fearless journalism.
