Brainware University : News and Events

Upholding truth

To celebrate the contributions of journalists in creating a healthy democracy, the Department of Multimedia, Brainware University organised a special Webinar on Role of Journalists in Shaping Society on the occasion of National Journalism Day on November 20, 2021 from 3 PM. Journalism is often cited as the fourth pillar of democracy. It is journalists and free media which allows us to critique, focus, and educate ourselves on the current state of affairs in our country and the world at large. The freedom of press is essential for a free country like ours so to allow the future journalists to understand the role of journalists we had industry expert Mr. Tapas Chakraborty(Former Special Correspondent, The Telegraph) as the guest speaker for the event.

Mr. Chakraborty began by saying why authoritarian governments curb the role of journalists. “Journalists are the link between the people and the ones in power. It is your duty to uphold the truth and that is why such people are perceived as a threat to the ones misusing their power,” he said. For Mr.Chakraborty, commitment to facts and a relentless pursuit of truth are the hallmarks of a good journalist.

He highlighted the crucial role of journalists in a world where fake news has become a nuisance. “People are provoked and misled by news which are often not true simply because someone forwarded the message to them on whatsapp. This is where you come in, facts are sacred so remember to verify as many times as required before you put a story out,” he advised.

Throughout the sessions he discussed personal experiences from his own career where he understood the importance of ethical journalism and made students aware of the repercussions of violations. In the final segment of the programme he answered career-related questions from the students.