New media lacks sensitivity, says journalist

Veteran journalist Raj Chengappa said new media in new India is totally desensitised.

“There is a need to revisit the good old days in terms of emotions,” he stressed while delivering a talk on ‘The Press and The New India’ at the fifth M V Kamath Endowment Lecture organised by Manipal Institute of Communication (MIC), Manipal Academy of Higher Education(MAHE) in MIC on Saturday.

Chengappa urged students to connect with people and society.

‘Closer to truth’

“The new India is not merely concoction of Narendra Modi, rather it is of people which is still communicative,” he said and urged budding journalists to talk and talk
in order to come closer to the truth. The veteran journalist emphasised on the need to work on the pursuit of truth.

“The pursuit of truth is the pursuit of journalism. Truth and journalism are closely knitted and in fact, the pursuit of truth is critical.

Though truth becomes uncomfortable to many, it becomes essential for the journalist to ensure justice,” he said.

He also focused on the need to be curious and said journalists should never lose curiosity.

There is a need to look at the fundamentals of curiosity. Chengappa stressed on the conservation of nature.

Even a minuscule amount of environment will end up in major disasters as the ecosystem is totally interconnected, he added.