No Nation has Survived without a Strong Media: Girish Kuber

Pune, 27th November 2023: The time has come where now the large corporations are controlling Artificial Intelligence. People in the society are willing to accept whatever they have been taught, and this is the huge challenge as the corporates are operating the society. Here comes the role of a Media. Media should be in a challenging or rocking mode all the time. Media should keep on asking the questions to the system. No nation has survived without a strong media. Media has to question everything. Media people are not here to please anybody in society. They should not be acting as cheerleaders instead they must be pro to people, said Mr. Girish Kuber, Editor, Loksatta, Mumbai.

Symbiosis International (Deemed University) in association with the Pune International Centre (PIC) organized this year’s Dileep Padgaonkar Memorial Lecture on Monday, 27th November, 2023 at at 11:30 am at Symbiosis Vishwabhavan Auditorium, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune.

The topic for the Lecture was – “Contemporary News- Media at Crossroads” by Mr. Girish Kuber, Editor, Loksatta, Mumbai.

The session was chaired by Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar, President PIC. Dr. S. B. Mujumdar, Founder & President Symbiosis and Chancellor, Symbiosis International (Deemed University) presided over the function.

Speaking at the occasion Mr. Girish Kuber said, these days News is on autopilot mode hence, what the role of a Newsmaker? is the question. A News is written on the basis of 5 W’s (What, When, Where, Why and Who) and 1 H (How) formula, but to stay relevant a reporter needs to add or consider two more W’s in his news and those are “Why Now”? And “What Next” ? This will make a Reporter’s job more relevant. These two more W’s are important for another reason, as now the job of a journalist has become more challenging than it was before. These two W’s will answer every question that the Journalist is seeking for.

Media itself has changed now, earlier media was considered as a solution to the problem like in case of an emergency in India, media was considered as a solution to that but now media is painted a part of the problem in society and media people have become villains, said Mr. Kuber.

There is a need that now the media people should change. Media people are obsessed with politics, Bollywood and Cricket. There is no need to involve much in these topics. Media people must give up their obsession with politics. Politics is the easiest thing to report on, Mr. Kuber added further in his speech.

Ms. Latika Padgaonkar, Dr. Vidya Yeravdekar, Pro-Chancellor, Symbiosis International University, Dr. Ramakrishnan Raman, Vice Chancellor, Symbiosis International University, Dr. Ruchi Jaggi, Director, Symbiosis Institute of Media and communication were the other distinguished dignitaries present for the function.