Assam: “Confluence-2025: The Media Conclave of Sixth Schedule Councils” held in Kokrajhar

OUR CORRESPONDENT

KOKRAJHAR: The Information and Public Relations department of the Government of BTR hosted “Confluence-2025: The Media Conclave of Sixth Schedule Councils”, the first of its kind in Assam. This landmark event was held at the auditorium hall of Kokrajhar Planetarium uniting media professionals from the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), and Dima Hasao Autonomous Council (DHAC). The conclave aimed to promote dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge exchange among journalists working within these unique governance frameworks, marking a historic milestone in media collaboration in the state.

Confluence-2025 has provided a platform for media professionals to address challenges, share experiences, and explore opportunities to strengthen their role in developmental journalism. It also focused on enhancing the media-government relationship, emphasizing the importance of transparency, accountability, and good governance. Discussions delved into how media and government can improve communication, particularly in addressing development and governance issues in the Sixth Schedule regions.

As part of the programme, Principal Secretary of BTC Akash Deep gave the welcome address. The EM of Information and Public Relations, BTC Dr Nilut Swargiary, in his keynote address, said that media houses had been contributing for the development of the society with moral responsibility. We expect your positive role for positive change in Bodoland. “We are trying our best for the welfare of journalists of BTC, and thinking of new schemes for media persons. For every journalist, our government is planning to start to give grant-in-aid from financial year 2025-26 at Rs 50,000 to five journalists of BTC and Media Fellowship for five journalists every year,” he said adding that the council government will give this facility to the working journalists who are working with positive attitude for positive change.

Cabinet Minister of I&PR department Pijush Hazarika said that the media is the 4th pillar of democracy and they have a vital responsibility towards society. Journalists in Assam have increased at least 7 folds than earlier after digital and social media platforms mushroomed, he remarked.

“Earlier, we got to see news after 24 hours but nowadays we get it within 10 minutes in the digital media. If we observe, the viewership of the electronic media is decreasing and it becomes questionable why the TRP of TV channels is going down. Definitely, there could be lapses to fulfil people’s desire,” said Minister Hazarika. He also said that if news consumers go down, then democracy will be weakened.

“Our democratic system is the strongest in the world, but time has come to revisit why TRP is going down in TV channels or newspapers. Today’s youths have a lack of interest in reading and watching news and if this trend continues, then it will not be a good sign. If media houses make mistakes or commit errors in reporting than it will bring confusion among the public and subsequently, the readers and spectators will lose faith, causing decrease of readers”, he said and added that news portals should be brought under rules and regulations as they are being run by individuals or family members and there is no mechanism to regulate them. He further said that media houses must be strong for a strong democracy. The minister also said, “If media becomes weak, the correspondents will be 1st casualty and democracy the next and thus media houses must remain strong with impartiality.”

The conclave featured three sessions on the following themes - Balancing Freedom and Responsibility: Media Ethics in the Age of Development Journalism, Strengthening Media-Government Relations: Guidelines for Transparent and Effective Communication, and Understanding Media Acts and Guidelines: Adherence for Responsible Reporting.

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