This refers to the reaction of the Editors Guild of India to the observations of Press Council of India Chairman Justice Markandey Katju on the media (“Editors Guild terms Katju's comments uninformed,” Nov. 2). Justice Katju has called a spade a spade. The right to a citizen's privacy is as sacred as the freedom of press. Your freedom ends where my nose begins. There is need for the media to draw a clear “Lakshman Rekha.”
P.V. Ramana Rao,
Guntur
No doubt, freedom of press is of paramount importance for the effective functioning of democracy. But Justice Katju's remarks on the media cannot be dismissed as “uninformed.” Sensational hype in reporting has overtaken the media, especially the electronic media. It is time the Editors Guild reflected seriously on the role of the Fourth Estate and did something about it. For, journalists do not just report but also play a very crucial role in shaping public opinion. Callous reporting can certainly divide people on religious lines and play an anti-people role. All institutions are bound by some checks and balances. Why should the media be allowed to function according to their whims?
Gnana. Surabhi Mani,
Madurai
Discerning television viewers, I am sure, will endorse Justice Katju's views. Anchors ‘moderating' discussions exude vicarious pleasure at the discomfiture of panellists; their provocative, at times vexatious, questions give rise to hatred and ill-will. They pander to the baser instincts of viewers.
Mathew Varghese,
Bangalore
