IMPHAL, January 7: The 40th Foundation Day of the Manipur Press Club is like Teacher`™s Day because the media like teachers spread information to people everywhere, stated Th Lokeshwar, the Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly while speaking as the chief guest speech on January 6 at the Manipur Press Club.
The foundation day observation was organised by the All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU).
He said the observation is not only meant for media persons but also includes people who came to this club to talk about their problems so that the media fraternity can disseminate their tales of woes.
Media is important in every country because they are the only means through information regarding various issues in a place can be gathered, he added.
Lokeshwar further said that listening to the story of how the Press club came into being is inspiring and that we should all be grateful to the veteran journalists who prepared the groundwork for its establishment.
He requested media houses to consider the pros and cons before publishing a story and its negative impact on people.
He also stressed that Manipur cannot become `a golden Manipur` without the contribution of media houses.
In his speech as the guest of honour, Works and Transport minister Dr Kh Ratankumar Singh said journalists of today in our state are different from journalists of two decades ago and now they have capabilities to compete with journalists of other nations as well as many national papers. All the credit must go to the senior journalist because it won`™t have been possible without their help and suggestion.
He said the press club can now be compared with press clubs of other states. However, it all boils down to the contribution made by various media houses, he added.
Sometimes, we found news-reports where reporting is done subjectively or personalised which indicates the character of the particular reporter or the media house, he said, while calling for professionalism among the media fraternity.
Veteran journalist K Madhumangol Singh said the press club was intended to be founded on December 29, 1974 but unfortunately Chief Minister of the time who was supposed to attend as the chief guest could not attend as his government collapsed and it had to be formally established on January 6, 1974.
Many problems had to be faced in those days in organsing such foundation days as the infrastructure was really poor., he said, adding that the story of how the Press club and AMWJU came into being should be published in the press club journal so new journalists can remember their struggles.
In his presidential speech, AMWJU president Wangkhemcha Shamjai said that all the old furniture which were used by veteran journalists were being preserved.
He said AMWJU is trying to keep separate rooms for veteran journalists and women journalist. The guest room is completed but beds are still in the process of being assembled, he added.
Veteran journalists, DIPR officials, staffs of AIR Imphal, leaders of civil organisation and AMWJU members attended the function.