NEW DELHI: The Editors Guild of India has written to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal expressing concern over violence against journalists in the state. It sought the state’s intervention in putting a stop to such attacks.
“While we appreciate your firm condemnation of these incidents, the situation demands your urgent intervention to assure the media that they are safe to report without fearing retribution from the criminal mafia. In the absence of that a sense of impunity could embolden attackers who may believe that they are above the law,” said the Guild in a statement.
Journalists have been subjected to mob attacks, intimidation and threats which is vitiating the necessary environment for the functioning of an independent and vibrant media, it added. Attaching a list of 32 journalists killed in Assam since 1981, the Guild said most of the cases were investigated in a ‘shoddy’ manner with perpetrators still free. The letter comes close on the heels of Shillong Times editor Patricia Mukhim quitting the body accusing it of defending only ‘celebrity’ journalists.
Rajat Sharma elected NBA president again
NEW DELHI: The National Broadcasters Association unanimously re-elected Rajat Sharma, chairperson and editor-in-chief of India TV, as the president at a board meeting held on Thursday. The board also elected Anuradha Prasad Shukla, chairperson-cum-managing director, News24 Broadcast India Ltd, as vice president.
The other members on the NBA board are M V Shreyams Kumar, managing director, Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Co. Ltd; Rahul Joshi, managing director, TV18 Broadcast Ltd; Avinash Pandey, chief executive officer, ABP Network Pvt. Ltd; and Sonia Singh, editorial director, NDTV, among others.