Prez lauds role of media

President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday said the Indian media fought against “authoritarian tendencies” and always supported freedom of individuals to speak their mind.

Saluting the media for not compromising on the freedom of speech and expression, Mukherjee said he was confident it would be able to succeed in meeting all modern day challenges, including those posed by technology. 

At the release of the book “The Eighth Ring”, an autobiography of late chief editor of Malayala Manorama group of newspapers K M Mathew at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, he said media, including newspapers and periodicals, have made immense contribution since the times of pre-independence. Media has never compromised with the right of individuals to speak as per their conviction though the degree of fight may have differed, he said.

“However, technology will pose a problem. But I do feel that the Indian journalists and editors have the capacity to adjust and will adjust. I am confident that the media will succeed in meeting the challenge posed by the technology. You may like it or not but it is going to be there,” he said.

He said several national leaders founded newspapers or were closely associated with it during the freedom struggle. “Jawaharlal Nehru wrote in October 1937 in ‘The Modern Review of Calcutta’ under a pseudonym and criticised himself for having dictatorial tendencies.