By IANS,
New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday said that media has to project the voice of the silent, instead of only the “loud” sections of society, and also reflect the complexity and diversity of issues.
“We should introspect whether the media does justice in portraying the diversity and complexity of the issues of the day and whether there is adequate balance in the purveying of ideas and information,” said the prime minister who was the chief guest at the CNN-IBN Indian of the Year 2009 awards.
He said that the media had the responsibility to “ensure that it is not just the loud who are heard, but also the silent”.
“Indeed, often those who are loud are better organised, better funded, and better served by the system. If the media only purveys their viewpoint, who will speak for the silent majorities?”
Referring to his recent discussions at the Copenhagen Climate Change summit, he said they were are working hard to build a global consensus on solutions that address the needs of the poor along with the needs of our planet and of all humanity.
The Prime Minister noted that ecological devastation of whatever cause or origin will have far greater consequences in India than in West. “We need to recognise our own reality and have an informed and rational debate on what is in our enlightened self-interest,” he said.
He again urged the media to play a role in this aspect. “The media cannot be just a window to an unattainable world. It should seek to open the door to an attainable and a sustainable future for each one of us,” Singh said.