Mysuru: Urban development and district minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah on Saturday underscored the role of the media and newspapers in safeguarding democracy.Speaking after felicitating journalists, he said the media, often regarded as the fourth pillar of democracy, has played a vital role not only in disseminating news and information and providing entertainment but also in guiding society, exposing social ills, highlighting governmental shortcomings and creating public awareness on various issues.However, he observed that both mainstream media and digital platforms appear to have lost some public trust. Referring to a recent incident in New Delhi, where students protesting the alleged NEET paper leak opposed media participation during a Jantar Mantar demonstration, he said the episode reflected the growing scepticism of Gen Z towards mainstream media.“The mainstream media must focus on accurate and factual reporting to regain public confidence,” he said. Yathindra Siddaramaiah also said the govt had sanctioned Rs 3 crore for the construction of a new building for the Mysuru District Journalists Association (MDJA) and assured additional funds for its completion.Chamundeshwari MLA GT Devegowda lauded the contribution of Mysuru district journalists to the city’s development.Earlier, former chief minister Siddaramaiah, who had laid the foundation stone for the MDJA building, expressed displeasure over the delay in completing the project, which had been sanctioned during his tenure.Journalists T Gururaj, PS Veeresh, Hampa Nagaraj, Vairamudi, BM Lavakumar, Arundev M, Veerendraprasad R, Avinash Jainahalli, Shilpa P, Karthika KK, Lakshminarayan Yadav, Rahul P and KS Ananda were felicitated on the occasion.
