Bhubaneswar: Industrial houses acquiring newspapers and TV channels is the biggest threat to the media sector, said Shekhar Gupta, Editor-in-Chief and Chairman, The Print today.

Gupta was speaking at the annual day celebration of leading Odia Daily Sambad and Kanak News in the capital city here. The event also coincided with the concluding ceremony of the three-day Earth Again Conference of Sambad Group.

 “Big industrialists or rich people have plenty of money. They are either acquiring media houses or setting up new media institutions. Real estate tycoons and mining barons are also entering into media sector. These people are distorting the media market through various means. This has emerged as the biggest threat to the media sector in last 20-25 years,” Gupta said.

Gupta claimed that the biggest and well-known media houses in India as well as in the world are the legacy media houses. “Legacy media houses have been in the media sector for long years. Some of them have completed 50 years or 100 years or more. These legacy media houses have survived through generations. They have institutional values,” stated Gupta.

Gupta expressed concern over journalists losing respect among people in last few years. He claimed that journalists are being shown in poor lights in our movies in recent years. “Now, movies are portraying journalists as jokers, crooks, aides of terrorists and bad guys. This tendency should stop. Journalists need respect from people,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Dinesh Sharma, Senior Journalist & Writer, raised the issue of equity in the fight against climate change and environmental pollution.

“The industrial revolution has played a major role in damaging our environment. Some countries have progressed rapidly thorough industrialization. Now, these rich nations are asking others including India to adopt environment-friendly technologies. This should not be the case. There should be the principle of equity,” he opined.

Sharma also stated that Odisha has done a great work with regard to the management of natural calamities including cyclones. The whole world has recognised it, he added. 

Sambad and Kanak News Editor Tanaya Patnaik said the Earth Again or Punascha Pruthibi initiative will continue for the next 12 years till 2036, the centenary year of Odisha.

“We will continue to create awareness on issues related to climate change and environmental pollution through our Punascha Pruthibi initiative,” she said.

In her address, Sambad Group Managing Director Monica Nayyar Patnaik highlighted various initiatives of the media house. “As a media house, we are organizing CEO conclave, sports events, felicitation ceremony for successful entrepreneurs in Odisha and various programmes for women as well as children. We are also holding blood donation camps across the state,” she said.

Sambad Group Chairman Soumya Ranjan Patnaik also spoke on the occasion. “Sambad has won the trust of the readers during its 40 years of journey. It will continue to raise its voice for safeguarding the interests of Odia people,” Patnaik said.