Droupadi Murmu presented the 19th Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards at a function held in New Delhi today (March 19, 2025).
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the importance of free and fair journalism for democracy cannot be overestimated. If the citizens are not well-informed, the democratic processes lose their very meaning.
The President said that a thriving newsroom full of ideas is essential for the business of news. She highlighted the importance of a research wing to ensure quality and accuracy of news. She stated that news gathering, the soul of journalism, must be strengthened. She urged media organisations to devote more resources in encouraging the culture of reporting from the ground.
The President said that earlier, newspapers and magazines sought to offer qualitative reporting and analysis, and readers bought their copies. A sufficient number of readers meant a good platform for advertisers, who subsidised the costs. She pointed out that in recent decades, however, this model has been replaced by many hybrid models. She stated that their success must be measured by their effect on the quality of journalism. She added that that there are only a limited number of sources of funding, which could be the State or corporate entities or the reader. While the first two have their own advantages and limitations, the third option of keeping the reader at the centre is the most preferable option. It has only one limitation: sustaining that model seems difficult.
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