Media
a powerful tool to counter terror: reforms panel
Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) The media in all its manifestations
is a powerful tool for countering terrorism and the government
should leverage this to its advantage, a reforms panel said
Tuesday.
"The potential of the media in spreading education and
awareness needs to be tapped to build the capacity of citizens
in dealing with any public disorder, particularly terrorism
violence," the Administrative Reforms Commission said
in its eighth report titled Combating Terrorism.
"An informed and engaged media that is not restricted,
manipulated or overly regulated can better appreciate the
imperatives of the administration in its fight against terrorism.
"Thereby, the administration would also increase its
preparedness and effectiveness in dealing with crises and
develop more appropriate media-oriented responses," the
report added.
For this to happen, the commission said, "it would be
necessary to have an affirmative media policy" based
on:
* Transparency in governance,
* Easy access to information and sources,
* Advancing the media's role as an instrument of vigilance
to scrutinise and check administrative, legal and judicial
violations that endanger civil and democratic rights in situations
of conflict and terrorism.
* Engaging, enabling, encouraging and assisting the media
to fulfil its role of informed, fair and balanced coverage
of crises, particularly terrorism.
At the same time, the media "should be encouraged to
evolve a self regulating code of conduct to ensure that publicity
arising out of terrorist attacks does not help the terrorists
in their anti-national designs", the commission said.
Indo-Asian
News Service
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