If the government thinks that some gentlemen of the Fourth Estate are spreading false stories about it or spreading despondency in the country which is detrimental to its stability, the proper course for it is to proceed against them under the law of torts. It is wrong to penalise them by not releasing them government advertisement as it amounts to their financial strangulation. Needless to say the main source of income of journals is advertisements whether official or private. One cannot win heart and soul of the men of letters through coercive or third degree tactics.
Admitted that yellow journalism is also a contemnible thing and the media houses should on their own get rid of those black sheep in their ranks who under the garb of journalists are indulging in activities which cast slur on the fair name of journalism but it is also not fair on the part of the rulers to tar all journalists with the same brush
The recent decision of the government that it would be the PID which would henceforth determine which newspapers should get government advertisement amounts to making those newspapers kowtow government ‘s line which don’t see eye to eye with the it on any issue. Small wonder the journalist community of the country, by and large, is unhappy with this decision This is not the first time that this has happened. In the past too the governments have been resorting to such tactics but in vain. Better late than never. It would be sensible on the part of the government if this decision is taken back as early as possible.
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