Mangaluru: Media Manthan 2018, a national-level conference on “Media in Neo-Liberal Democracy: Many Challenges” organised by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, St. Aloysius College (Autonomous), Mangaluru was held at Eric Mathias Hall here on January 30.

Inaugurating the event, Justice N Santhosh Hegde, chief guest on the occasion said, “Parameters of media have not changed since liberalisation started in India. Media plays an important role in everybody’s life today.

This seminar gains importance primarily because of the intolerance present in the society nowadays. While each individual is entitled to freedom of right under the constitution, there are certain restrictions on the freedom of speech. So it is very important to know that although there is freedom to express our views, it has to be within the limits of fundamental rules.

Media has become the fourth estate in democracy today because people love it and people have elevated it to this level. However, even media is not free from the pangs of corruption, which affects all. The immense competition existent between different media houses, both print and visual gives rise to several unacceptable practices.”

Further, he mentioned that it was difficult to bring about a change in our nation unless we changed our perceptions citing an example of the heroic welcome given to those who go to jail and come out on bail.

Addressing the gathering, Fr. Praveen Martis, Principal, St. Aloysius College(Autonomous) Mangaluru complimented the choice of the theme for the seminar while urging the students to have a better understanding of the subject since they as future journalists are supposed to play a major role in the nation building.

“Journalists today need to do something different. Critical thinking is the need of the hour. Engage yourself and take a stand for something to build a better society”, he said.

In his presidential address, Rev. Fr. Dionysius Vas SJ, Rector, St. Aloysius Institutions, Mangaluru said that it was necessary to understand what neo-liberation implies. Globalisation brought a new definition to the media. The emergence of business and political party-backed media media is becoming a big challenge for the society, he feared.

“Presenting proper and honest views and giving frank opinion is what a good media should be about. Let people decide what to take.”

Fr. Melvin Pinto, HoD, MA (JMC) St. Aloysius College (Autonomous), Mangaluru welcomed the gathering. The two-day event will have speakers delivering papers on the main theme.