Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath has assured journalists that he will raise their concerns with the Central and State governments and work towards a resolution. Speaking during the 70th Formation Day celebrations of the Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) in Vijayawada, Mr. Sivanath expressed concern over the declining value-based journalism in the country.
Mr. Sivanath stated that journalism has lost its essence, with politicians no longer fearing reports about themselves. He recalled a time when journalism meant scrutinising the government, but now things have changed. APUWJ general secretary K. Jayaraj highlighted the unresolved issues faced by journalists, including attacks on journalists, financial assistance to families of journalists who died in attacks or accidents, comprehensive healthcare, restoration of railway concessions, housing and house sites, raising the retirement age from 58 to 65, and accident insurance for every journalist.
A seminar titled ‘Journalism – Then and Now’ was also held, discussing the transformation of the media from print to electronic, digital and social media, along with journalistic values, credibility and professional challenges. Vijayawada Central MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao stressed the need to maintain credibility in journalism, while both politicians expressed concern over the spreading of misinformation. The programme was attended by APUWJ State president I.V. Subbarao, Indian Journalists Union (IJU) secretary general D. Somasundar and others.
The politicians assured the journalists of all support, with Mr. Sivanath promising to raise their concerns with the governments. The event marked the 70th Formation Day of the APUWJ, which was celebrated in Vijayawada on Monday. The celebrations brought together journalists, politicians, and other stakeholders to discuss the challenges faced by the media industry and the need to maintain journalistic values in the face of changing technology and societal pressures.
