Original reporting key to regaining public trust in media: N. Ram

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The Hindu Group Director, N. Ram, speaks on the topic ’Trust Deficit in Media: Can the Indian Media Regain Public Confidence?’ during the Federation of Press Clubs National Conclave in Hyderabad on Sunday (August 23). | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL

Eminent journalist and Director of The Hindu Group, N. Ram, has called for a return to the fundamentals of journalism, including ground reporting, investigative journalism, long-form journalism and explanatory writing, to help the media regain public trust. Mr. Ram also called for media literacy to be introduced in school curricula at the middle or secondary level to help students understand and critically evaluate news and information.

Speaking at a panel discussion at the National Conclave of the Federation of Press Clubs in Hyderabad on Sunday, Mr. Ram stressed the need for transparent codes of conduct for journalists, independent self-regulation and a statutory framework for regulation.

“I think it really helps to build trust. Then it comes to self-regulation for the whole industry,” he said.

Panelists N. Ram, Director of THG Publishing Private Limited, The Hindu Group; Pratik Sinha, Founder of Alt News; Syeda Faiza, Digital Editor of The Siasat Daily; and moderator Uma Sudhir, Former Executive Editor of NDTV, speak on the topic ‘Trust Deficit in Media: Can the Indian Media Regain Public Confidence?’ during the Federation of Press Clubs National Conclave in Hyderabad on Sunday (August 23). | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL

Mr. Ram said self-regulatory mechanisms should comprise journalists and respected media personalities, rather than serving editors or proprietors. He also suggested that codes of conduct should have the backing of legislation enacted by Parliament. He also said appointing a news ombudsman could help maintain journalistic standards and restore public trust in the media.

He said the rise of digital platforms and YouTube channels would not replace conventional journalistic practices. Instead, the media needed to return to the basic principles of reporting in the digital era.

“Investigative journalism is forte of print journalism. Long-form writing, data reporting and explanatory reports could help the print media strengthen its credibility,” he said.

Mr. Ram also expressed concern over the impact of media ownership on journalistic standards and advocated reader-funded models of journalism. He cited successful news platforms, including Alt News and The Wire, as examples of alternative models.

Another panellist, Pratik Sinha, the co-founder and Editor at Alt News, also stressed the need to develop new economic models for journalism involving both journalists and readers. “We need to use open-source software that helps run media organisations,” he said, while cautioning against excessive dependence on big technology companies.

Mr. Pratik said readers should also be helped to understand the value of print journalism by critically analysing the news published by major newspapers on new media platforms.