PM ACKNOWLEDGES EMERGING ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Apparently taking a cue from the political developments in the country, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday said Internet has encapsulated events in an unprecedented manner and the role played by the social media in our lives is increasing.

“We live in times of great turmoil, which is being constantly reported to us in a great detail by the media. Unlike in the past, the media sometimes contributes to ‘making’ news. This is particularly true of the social media, which is playing an ever-increasing role in our lives. The Internet has telescoped events to a degree unheard of in the human history,” he said while inaugurating the 90th anniversary celebrations of Malayalam daily ‘Mathrubhumi’.

He described the print media as more credible.

“However, relatively the static medium of print retains a special relevance because it could be more credible and better informed,” he said.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy criticised the media for the erosion of its values.

“Though the scope of media has grown, its value has gone down. Most of the news items have the longevity of a day only. Newsrooms have turned into court rooms for trial and pronouncing a verdict,” said the Chief Minister, in a veiled attack on television discussions which criticise the government on a daily basis. Union Minister for Food and Civil Supplies K V Thomas also offered felicitations in the presence of Governor Nikhil Kumar, ministers K Babu and Ibrahim Kunju and writer M T Vasudevan Nair. Mathrubhumi chairman and managing director M P Veerendra Kumar welcomed the gathering.