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SpeechdeliveredbySoumyaRanjanon5th

September,2012atSSOMAC

Honourable ViceChancellor, Utkal University of Culture Dr. Amiya Kumar Patnaik, Chief

Speakers Sri Srimoy Kar, Resident Editor, The New Indian Express and Dr. Bikram Das, the

eminentProfessor inEnglishandcommunicationexpert, thePrincipal,SSOMAC,Dr.Gourhari

Das,distinguished

guests,

ladies

and

gentlemen

and

above

all

the

students

and

members

of

facultyofSSOMAC;

Attheoutset Icordiallyextendawarmwelcometothefreshersof6th

batch,whohavetaken

admissionandcongratulatethestudentsofthe4th

batchwhoarepassingouttodaywiththe

appointment lettersintothepromisingworldofjournalism.Iwouldstartmytalkwithasmall

advicetothefreshers.Pleasekeepaphotographofthepeoplewhoarenowseatedonthedais

andkeep itwithyou.Eachofthemhascarvedoutadistinguishednameforhimselfbysheer

hardwork and dedication.Mr. Karbegan his career in Sambad afterhis post graduation in

English.

He

then

moved

out

to

the

New

Indian

Express

and

look

where

he

had

led

that

paper

to

now. He is the Resident editor. Dr. Das served abroad for a long time and is a nationally

acknowledgedcommunicationexpert.Dr.Pattnaik,theVCisamanfromHistorydisciplineand

chosethecareerofateacherandeventuallyreachedthepinnacleoftheacademiccareer.Your

PrincipalDr.G.Das,isnotonlyaneminentjournalistandcolumnistofSambadforquarterofa

century, he is also a popularwriter inOdia languagewith huge fan following andmany an

awardtohiscredit.SoonthisauspiciousdayofGuruDivas,youcandowelltotakealeaffrom

theirbooksandbuildacareerforyourselves.

NowletusturnourattentiontothetopicofthedayCredibilityoftheMediatoday.Iwould

againwish

to

the

address

the

freshers.

Imay

ask

you

aquestion:

Why

have

you

taken

admissionforacourseonjournalism?Therewasatimewhenajournalistwasnotconsidered

asaprospectivebridegroom inmarriagenegotiations.The reasonperhapswas that theydid

notearnwell.Thingshavechangedandagoodjournalistnowcanearnenoughtoleadadecent

life.Butcertainlyyouhavenotjoinedthiscourseformoneyandglamourorpower.Youmust

lovetheprofession.Youmustenjoyit.Yourownprofession(BrutiinOdia)andyourinstinctor

leanings (Prabruti in Odia)must blend. Bruti and Prabrutimustmarry happily. Once that

happenswhateveryoucontributewillbecredible.

Credibilityis

apowerful

word.

It

relates

to

trust.

We

believed

in

what

our

teachers

said.

We

trustadoctor.Thechildholdingthehandofthefatherinacrowdedmarketplaceorthebaby

in the lapof themotherenjoysagreat feelingof safety.Asenseof trustand safety iswhat

credibilityisallabout.Peopledobelieveinprintmediaorelectronicmedia;butperhapsneither

thetrustlevelisashighnorthesafetyperceptionasstrongas itusedtobeonce.There isno

doubtatrustdeficit.

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Ihavenointentiontojustifyit.Butsomewherethemarketdriveneconomydoescontributeto

thecurrentsituation.Thecodesofethicsinadvertisementtendtogetblurredbytheday.You

constantlyseethesameshampooadpromotedbyyourfavouriteactorandatsomestageyou

begin tobelieve it.Thisbelief ismedia induced.RishiBalmiki initiallychanted Mara, Mara

and

eventually

that

became

Rama

and

Rama.

That

was

for

a

good

cause.

But

it

is

different

now;repeatednegativestendtotakeapositivefaade.

SomeincludingourguestspeakerMr.Karvoicetheviewthattheownersaretoagreatextent

responsibleforlossofthecredibility.Thatmaybetruetosomeextent.Iambothajournalist

andalsoanownerofamediahouse.Myexperiencesuggeststhatattimeswecannotavoidan

advertisement in return for slightly diluting news. We are required to pay salary to our

employees andmeet the high cost circulation. So an owner does face ethical dilemma. It

dependsontheownerreallyastowhatextenthewouldcompromiseanyethical imperative.

But what dilemma a reporter faces? He can always report honestly without any fear or

influence.Whether

the

editor

would

take

it

or

dilute

it

is

adifferent

matter.

At

least

he

can

be

honestinhisprofession.

SoIwouldliketogobacktowhatIsaidatthebeginningyoumusthavetheinclinationtobea

journalist. Ifyour focus isonmoney,thenyoumaybetemptedtobecorrupt.Asavery first

step Iwould advise you all to perfect yourwritten prose; be it English orOdia. Remember

friends, a doctor is for a patient, a lawyer is for a client, a teacher is for a student. But a

journalistisforeveryone.Youmustalwaysbeproudtobeajournalist.Letnottheprofessional

pridedesertyouanytime.AndIsaythatforthestudentswhoarepassingouttodayandareall

placed

as

promised

by

SSOMAC.

Donotbeworriedaboutthecorruptpracticesaroundyou.Goldnotalways is22carat.But it

doesnotmeanthatgoldshouldalwaysbe2%pure. Iknowthatiseasiersaidthandone. It is

veryhard tomaintain theoptimumbalanceofhonesty inourprofession. In fact this isour

penance,ourSadhana.Discoveryourself.Startajourneyintoyourinnerrecessesandyouwill

findafriendthere.Befriendlywithhim.ThisiswhatIcallEkkakiSatsanghholycongregation

insolitude.You feelas ifyouarewithacrowdof likemindedpeopledevotedtotruthanda

virtuouslife,althoughyouareactuallyalone.Thatisthemantra.Weareinacrisistomaintain

credibility;credibilityisneverincrisis.

IthanktheguestsfortheirkindconsenttobepresentandmostcordiallyIthankyouallforthe

patienceshowntohearmespeak.