Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 20: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday ruled out any “pick and choose” approach in the allocation of government advertisements to newspapers in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing concerns raised by MLAs in the Legislative Assembly, he assured that the distribution process would remain fair and transparent.
The Chief Minister emphasized that selective advertising must come to an end, asserting that publications overly dependent on government revenue cannot serve as true voices of journalism. He warned that such newspapers risk turning into mere government mouthpieces. “A newspaper that only carries press notes and my photograph on the front page is not a newspaper; it’s a mouthpiece,” he remarked.
Reaffirming his commitment to press freedom, Omar assured that no punitive action would be taken against newspapers for reporting the truth. However, he cautioned against the spread of misinformati Newspaper that only carries press notes, my photograph is a mouthpiece
Asks media houses to move towards financial independence
No punitive action for fair journalism
The Chief Minister encouraged media houses to move towards financial independence while reiterating the government’s support in strengthening the media industry. He stressed that self-reliance is crucial for maintaining journalistic integrity.
Addressing concerns about accreditation delays, the Chief Minister directed the information department to speed up application reviews. He assured that applicants would be given opportunities to correct discrepancies rather than facing outright rejection.
He also declared that the Srinagar Press Club would be re-established and a fair election would be held to elect its members. He emphasized the need for a unified institution, stating that journalists would be responsible for forming a managing committee to oversee it’s functioning. | 