Press freedom is freedom of information. Lack of the right information is ignorance and does not have the power to take us forward on the evolutionary plane. We, from PT Education are today honoured to felicitate excellence in journalism and communication on Press Freedom Day. Nation building and social causes need fearless communication efforts and we salute the efforts and the people who initiate them! We salute their spirited efforts to promote peace, harmony, and human rights.

As Jim Wolfenson of the World Bank says, “free press is not a luxury. It is at the core of equitable development. The media can expose corruption. They can keep a check on public policy by throwing a spotlight on government action. They let people voice diverse opinions on governance and reform, and help build public consensus to bring about change.”

Amartya Sen, the 1998 Nobel Economics Laureate, whose work has established a link between an active free media and the avoidance of famine and other disasters remarked in his address in the World Newspaper Congress in Belgium:

“It is not at all hard to see why uncensored and active news reporting helps to prevent famines. Even though hardly any famine ever makes the ruling group suffer directly from it, the stigma and disgrace resulting from adverse press coverage impose direct costs on the rulers, and when combined with a functioning democracy, this can make it impossible for the incumbent government to withstand scrutiny or to be re-elected.”

The message is simple. Every communication effort, from avoidance of disasters to countering terrorism, from highlighting honesty to deprecating corruption, through any media vehicle has a positive bearing upon the socio-economic as well as the political fabric of a Nation. This can happen only when these media efforts are spirited and willing.

Any democratic society is built upon four freedoms viz., freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of petition. It is a closed mind that sees the press as a dangerous weapon. Media technology must be used to improve the fundamental conditions of life and of personal liberty.

World Press Freedom Day reminds us all – governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations as well as civil society – of the crucial role a free press plays in strengthening democracies and fostering development around the world.  This day was proclaimed by the General Assembly of the UN in 1993, and the Day has been observed on 3 May ever since.

“When people do not have a voice in the public arena, or access to information on issues that affect their lives, and where their concerns are not reasonably reflected in the media, development tends to be undermined and catastrophes such as famines are less likely to be averted.

Lack of access to communication undermines the capacity of the poor to participate in democratic processes. Frustration and alienation over lack of means of expression lead to disaffection with the political process resulting in apathy or violence.”

Akin to our friends from the media, PT Education also believes in spreading the goodness of education and literacy through the dissemination of value-content to the media and are always supportive and co-operative with not just the needs but also the deadlines that our brothers in the media have to live with on a day to day basis.

We thus reiterate that freedom in any of its hues has a link to value-added information and a knowledge base that needs powerful mentors to step forward and assist with all zeal and zing. As we say at PT, we will not just do it but…  Kar ke dikhayenge!

We have with us today…

<Introduce the guest speakers>

Before I request <Name of first speaker> there is one rather vital and interesting report that I’d like to talk about.

One recent report points out that “in countries with higher state ownership of the media, we observe inferior school attainment, enrolment and pupil-to-teacher ratios. Health outcomes, such as life expectancy, infant mortality and malnutrition are also worse in countries where the government owns more media outlets.”

It is gratifying to observe, that in a study of India, the report finds increased government responsiveness to a wide range of problems in areas with higher newspaper circulation and penetration of other media vehicles.

I propose a big round of applause to the spirit of India towards the press and communication efforts!

Now I invite…

[Arvind Passey]
[2007]
Written for PT Education