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Sandesha Foundation for Culture and Education along with Signis Karnataka and Spearhead Academy organised a State Level seminar on ‘Towards and Ethical Media’

Sandesha Foundation for Culture and Education in cooperation with Signis Karnataka and Spearhead Academy held a state level seminar on ‘Towards and Ethical Media’ for students, staff and delegates from all over Karnataka on February 8, 2023 to foster greater interest in media ethics, familiarize the participants with the different issues and provide a forum to exchange views on specific ethical issues in Media. The seminar had in total six sessions including the inaugural session, valedictory session and the four technical sessions. The one-day seminar was attended by 88 participants from different districts of Karnataka and students from the city colleges.

The seminar included a mix of lectures, technical sessions, and case studies through interaction with the participants. Bishop Henry D’souza, Chairman of Sandesha Foundation, Bishop of Bellary, the keynote speaker of the day called for accountability in media by being accurate and giving factual information. He also made aware of the twisting of facts using examples. Journalists should not tell what they want to but they to communicate what they ought to, he added. Discussions in the technical sessions revolved around Ethics of Indian Media: Aberrations and future challenges, Deconstructing Ethics in Journalism: How Indian Media is neglecting its social responsibility.

The seminar focused on specific ethical issues in media  such as accuracy, verification, independence, allegiances, deception, fabrication, graphic images, image manipulation, sources and confidentiality, ethics  and citizen Journalist. Participants welcomed the opportunity to exchange views on all the papers discussed.

The resource persons who presented papers include Dr. Padmakumar K, Head of the Department, Corporate Communication, Manipal Insitute of Communication, Fr. Sudeep Paul, Director, Sandesha Foundation for Culture and Education, Mr. Roshan Honest Raj, Vice Principal, Spearhead Academy, Mr. Prasad Shetty, Head of the Department, Alva’s College, Mr. Raviraj Kini, Head of the Department, Nitte Institute of Communication, Mr. Harsharaj Gatty, Research Scholar, Amrita University, Coimbatore, Mr. Verghese, Editor, Indian Catholic Matters, and Mr. Raymond D’cunha, Editor, Pingara.

The session were moderated by Dr. Cyril Victor, Director, Archdiocesan Communication Centre, Mr. Varghese, Editor, Indian Catholic Matters, Mr. Benedict, Editor, City Highlights, Fr. Anil Ivan Fernandes, Director, Canara Communications.

The speakers touched upon the present context of media where is growing disenchantment towards media, lack of trust, world press freedom Index, cross ownership patterns, pro-investor driven media, condition of journalists etc. The ethical  issues were highlighted such as changing patterns of reporting, paid news, twisting facts, non issues as real issues, dwindling number of grass-root level reports, tendency to brand, fake news, mistaken news values of balance and accuracy. Gatekeeping methodology to tackle problems accuracy and verification. An enumeration of latest digital gatekeeping methods were discussed. The important to be reported are missing and non important issues are highlighted because of commercial interests etc.

Fr. Sudeep Paul, welcomed and gave seminar orientations, Fr. Richard Dsouza proposed vote of thanks. Fr. Victor Vijay Lobo, President, Signis India Mr. Canute Jeevan Pinto, Managing Trustee, Village TV Trust, Dr. John D’silva, Administrator, Spearhead Academy were present on the occasion.