Bhubaneswar: The Foundation Day of Sambad and Kanak News was celebrated on Saturday at Swosti Premium in Bhubaneswar, where eminent media personalities reflected on the challenges before Indian journalism and stressed the need to bring back people’s trust in the press.

Speaking on the occasion, Dainik Bhaskar's Group Editor Prakash Dubey highlighted that India ranked 138th globally in 2018 in the Press Freedom Index, showing how far the country still is from achieving full freedom of expression. He said the Indian media often failed to maintain objectivity, citing instances such as the Operation Sindoor coverage, where a BBC journalist in Pakistan exposed false narratives run by Indian channels.

Dubey emphasised that a change in media credibility would come only when regional newspapers reach the grassroots. “To fight corruption and protect democracy, media houses must connect directly with the people,” he said. He also urged Sambad and Kanak News Editor Tanaya Patnaik to play an active role in the Editors’ Guild of India to strengthen ethical journalism.

The Hindu Business Line's Resident Editor Poornima Joshi voiced concern over the sharp decline in public-interest journalism. She remarked, “We are living in an era where the very definition and essence of journalism are under threat. Television debates have turned into noisy quarrels, and news dissemination is driven by corporate, advertiser, and government interests rather than public welfare.”

Joshi criticised the prioritisation of celebrity and luxury news over real social issues. “While the media gives exhaustive coverage to a ₹5,000-crore Ambani wedding, the suicides of over 2,800 farmers in Maharashtra get little attention. Media must act as a watchdog of society, not as a mouthpiece of power,” she said.

She praised Sambad Group for connecting people through cultural, literary, environmental, and blood donation initiatives.

Addressing the gathering, Sambad Group's Chairman Soumya Ranjan Patnaik said that while both the Chief Minister, who attended the event as the Chief Guest, and the editors of newspapers share a common goal of serving the state, their relations often turn strained. The Sambad newspaper will act as Lord Shiva’s third eye. The Chief Minister should not despise critics because they help refine leadership, he said.

Patnaik added that although Odisha has witnessed a change of government after 24 years, people still question when real transformation will come. He urged the new leadership to bring fundamental changes in governance to meet public expectations.

In her address, Sambad's Editor Tanaya Patnaik reflected on the legacy of the media house, saying the responsibility of carrying forward the 'Sambad Legacy' is both a blessing and a duty. “The legacy of Sambad does not lie in being the most-read newspaper but in reaching the remotest corners of Odisha, in collecting blood in Maoist-hit Chitrakonda, not just in Bhubaneswar. Sambad’s legacy lies in connecting youth with their mother, motherland, and mother tongue,” she said.

"Our mission is to keep Sambad relevant, visionary, and rooted in the people," she added.

Sambad Group's Managing Director Dr. Monica Nayyar Patnaik expressed gratitude to the readers, viewers, and listeners for making Sambad Group a household name both in Odisha and beyond.