THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday urged journalists to emulate Swadeshabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai and Kesari Balakrishna Pillai who stood for fearless and unbiased journalism.
Presenting the state government’s Swadeshabhimani-Kesari Media Award to veteran journalist K Mohanan, he also called for an introspection in view of the recent Cobra Post sting on media houses. When capital gains a grip on journalism, the interests of journalism weakens, he said.
While Swadeshabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai blazed a trail as a fearless journalist, Kesari Balakrishna Pillai was also a modernist.
The journalists of today should be able to light a small lamp at least from the blazing torches wielded by the two stalwarts, the Chief Minister said.
Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said the media should act as a creative opposition, which also lauds the good things achieved by a government.
The penchant for sensationalism, however, threatens to erode media ethics, he said. He cited the recent example when false information was spread on social media claiming that A N Shamseer MLA was to be appointed the chairman of the Malabar Devaswom Board.
"It was totally illogical. For one thing, the board does not have a chairman. It has a president, a post held by O K Vasu," Surendran said.
Mohanan, a former Rajya Sabha MP and former resident editor and general editor of Deshabhimani, was selected by a panel consisting of former chief secretary K Jayakumar, journalist Thomas Jacob, Sebastian Paul and R S Babu.
The Chief Minister also gave away the state media awards on the occasion.