James addresses National Press Day celebration in Shillong

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 16, 2020

Journalists of the state on Monday celebrated the National Press Day on the theme “Role of Media during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on media”.

Organized by the Shillong Press Club and supported by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations, the function was addressed virtually from New Delhi by the Minister in-charge Information and Public Relations, James K Sangma.

Sangma said that an independent press is an integral element of democracy and it is a key stakeholder in every form of government by virtue of its duty to inform, communicate, educate and engage the public for the purpose of sustainable development and social unification. “That is why, we all know, it is the fourth pillar of democracy”, added Sangma.

Congratulating and acknowledging the immense contribution made by the media in these difficult and uncertain times in providing accurate information to the public by risking their lives during this global pandemic, Sangma underscores the importance of the media in providing reliable and accurate information about Covid-19 pandemic.

Stating that journalists along with other frontline workers have been at the forefront in the fight against the COVID pandemic, the minister however said little is spoken about the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of journalists who along with healthcare professionals performed an equally important task in the fight against the pandemic

He said a global survey of 1,400 English speaking journalists in 125 countries found the COVID-19 crisis has had major psychological and emotional impact on the members of the press fraternity

“In fact more than 80 percent of respondents exhibited at least one negative psychological effect including anxiety, burnout, difficulty in sleeping and a sense of helplessness. Whether it is burnout from working extra hours, mental stress on account of layoffs at many news publications including Meghalaya, or countering misinformation spread on social media platforms, the health crisis has put extra pressure on an industry already facing multiple challenges,” he said.

He said as they attempt to deliver news timely, many have lost their jobs and careers unfortunately and during these challenging times, the need of the hour is for all of us to come together to support the journalists mental health and wellbeing.

Also stating that the MDA government has always believed that the media is its accountability partner, Sangma said, “The joint responsibility of the partnership is to continue to serve the people and the state for sustainable and responsible development while adhering to the highest standards of journalistic integrity.”

The minister further assured that the MDA government will support the press community in every possible way and will try to find solutions to the challenges they are facing.

Others who spoke on the occasion were IPR Secretary M War Nongbri, IPR Director BS Sohliya, SPC president David Laitphlang and Supercare hospital consultant psychiatrist Dr Chayanika Sarma.

Later, the members of the media joined the webinar organised by the Press Council of India, held at New Delhi.