Chennai: Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu urged the media to desist from highlighting terrorism, extremism and anti-social activities “as if they are heroic acts.”
“News should be news, views should be separate. Of late this tendency has erupted, which is creating distortion of combining news and views,” he said continuing to be defensive of the government’s decision on ban on a TV channel. “Media should avoid sensationalism as well as obscenity, vulgarity and violence should be reduced,” he tweeted.
The senior BJP leader who is quite active on the social media resorted to a tweet ‘missiles’ on Sunday following criticisim from various political parties and the media for the Centre’s decision to impose a one-day ban on NDTV India for its Pathankot attack coverage.
On the strength of the social media, Mr. Venkaiah said it is ‘spontaneous and interactive’ and said that he expected the people to make judicious use of it in the larger national interest. “Social media is spontaneous and interactive. Such a medium is both an opportunity and a challenge. We believe people will take full advantage of Social Media, expect them to make judicious use of it in the larger national and individual good,” he tweeted.
