Fearless reporting is the soul of journalism: Police Commissioner
Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy on Wednesday, June 25, said it is important for reporters to maintain authenticity in the news and not rush to write or display news in a hurry.
Speaking after presenting the 'Brand Mangaluru' award to Vijay Kotian Padu, reporter with a vernacular daily at the Mangaluru Press Club on Wednesday, Mr. Reddy said, in rush to be the first to provide the news, it is not good to write something that comes to the mind and cause injustice. In conflict situations, it is important to tell the truth, rather than treat the accused and the victim on equal footing.
'If you (reporters) write truth there is no need to fear,' he said. If compassion is reflected in the report then there will be no problem. The differences will ease out in the society. Journalists should act like a light to dispel darkness in the society.
Fearless reporting, he said, was the soul of reporting. Referring to the work of Russian investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya, Mr. Reddy said if journalists do their work with noble intention he/she need not fear. Mr. Reddy said journalists, including those in Radio, kept on reporting on positive things while genocide was happening in Rwanda. Over the years differences among communities died down and effort was made to outlaw mischief mongers in Rwanda. 'Similar work needs to be done by journalists in Mangaluru too,' he said.
The 'Brand Mangaluru' award was instituted by Dakshina Kannada Working Journalists Association. Mr. Padu was chosen for his report on Muslims donning 'Huli vesha'.
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