Curbs on media: Cosmetic changes in revised circular
TNN | Feb 8, 2019, 23:38 ISTThiruvananthapuram: The revised circular issued by the state home department ‘to facilitate functioning of media personnel in Secretariat and at government functions’ has turned out to be nothing but the tweaked replication of earlier one, which was withdrawn after widespread protest ‘for imposing strict restrictions on media’.
Making just cosmetic changes through careful omission of controversial observations on media activities in the earlier circular issued last year, the revised one has retained all the fresh guidelines formulated to limit the freedom of reporters while dealing with the chief minister, ministers and government officials.
In essence, the entry of media personnel into various departments of PRD at the secretariat will still be restricted through accreditation or entry pass, they will not be able to get information from government officials unless it is through the PRD or district information offices, and above all the media personnel will not have any right to seek reactions of the CM or the ministers on various issues at will.
The revised circular dated January 29, 2019 has carefully omitted observations in the older one issued on November 15, 2018 criticizing media personnel for their ‘unruly behaviour’ while taking reactions from VIPs, including the chief minister, on the sidelines of various functions or at public places like airports, railway stations, government guest houses and rest houses. However, the circular still mandates a prior willingness on the part of such VIPs to be approached by reporters, ‘which the PRD should inform the reporters through mobile app/WhatsApp systems in advance’.
The earlier circular had restricted government officials from directly interacting with the media saying such officials were being used as ‘sources’ for publishing anti-government news articles.
The revised circular, though has avoided such remarks and has apparently refrained from giving strict directives to officials and the ministers not to have direct media interactions, has advised them to contact media through the district information office or the PRD.
The only visible change in the revised circular, is that the reporters can still approach the press relation wing in the CM’s office or that of other ministers for having special interviews.
Making just cosmetic changes through careful omission of controversial observations on media activities in the earlier circular issued last year, the revised one has retained all the fresh guidelines formulated to limit the freedom of reporters while dealing with the chief minister, ministers and government officials.
In essence, the entry of media personnel into various departments of PRD at the secretariat will still be restricted through accreditation or entry pass, they will not be able to get information from government officials unless it is through the PRD or district information offices, and above all the media personnel will not have any right to seek reactions of the CM or the ministers on various issues at will.
The revised circular dated January 29, 2019 has carefully omitted observations in the older one issued on November 15, 2018 criticizing media personnel for their ‘unruly behaviour’ while taking reactions from VIPs, including the chief minister, on the sidelines of various functions or at public places like airports, railway stations, government guest houses and rest houses. However, the circular still mandates a prior willingness on the part of such VIPs to be approached by reporters, ‘which the PRD should inform the reporters through mobile app/WhatsApp systems in advance’.
The earlier circular had restricted government officials from directly interacting with the media saying such officials were being used as ‘sources’ for publishing anti-government news articles.
The revised circular, though has avoided such remarks and has apparently refrained from giving strict directives to officials and the ministers not to have direct media interactions, has advised them to contact media through the district information office or the PRD.
The only visible change in the revised circular, is that the reporters can still approach the press relation wing in the CM’s office or that of other ministers for having special interviews.
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