'Credibility the main issue ailing media'

CK Prasad, Chairman, Press Council of India 

MP, 19 December 2017, Kolkata: CK Prasad, Chairman, Press Council of India (PCI) on Monday said credibility of the media is a major issue and the threat to the freedom of Press and media is more from within than external factors. 

Prasad, who was speaking at the Sumit Sen memorial lecture organised by Kolkata Press Club, said the most serious issue that concerns the media is credibility and if that is maintained, all other issues will fall in line. 

On the issue of freedom of Press and media under threat, he said "The threat to the freedom of Press and media is more from within rather than external factors". Job security and financial security of journalists would enable them to work more freely, he said. 

On the issue of killing of journalists in the country, Prasad said there should be a clear distinction about killing of scribes for his journalistic work and his personal reasons. 

"Killing of any individual, be it journalist or non journalist is bad, but we mix up in many cases. I would appeal to the journalistic community to distinguish between killing of a journalist for his journalistic work or for his personal reasons," he said. 

He also underlined the need for data about the number of journalists in the country so that welfare schemes can be planned for their benefit.