Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan emphasized the critical role of the media in safeguarding diversity and combating communalism during the inauguration of the three-day Kerala Media Conclave-24 International Media Festival. He urged media outlets to resist forces that undermine diversity, stating that neutrality in the face of communalism is hypocrisy. The festival, jointly organized by the Media Academy, Information and Public Relations department, and the Kerala Union of Working Journalists, will feature discussions on milestones such as 175 years of Malayalam journalism and 100 years of radio.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Minister commended Kerala’s media for their freedom to report truth and criticism without facing backlash from the state government, citing it as evidence of robust media freedom. However, he cautioned against the spread of fake news during election periods and urged reporters to exercise caution.
Vijayan underscored the importance of a secular stance in countering communal movements and emphasized the global threats to media freedom, noting the tragic loss of over 100 media personnel during the Gaza-Israel conflict. He criticized the dominance of media policies that obscure Israel’s actions and highlighted the role of imperialist news agencies in misrepresenting the situation in Palestine, stressing the need for accurate and humane reporting on the region.
