The press is the eyes and ears for the Citizens of a democratic country. As we celebrate the National Press Day, amidst rising misinformation in the AI age, Safeguarding the Press Credibility is crucial for empowering the citizens. This sentiment was shared by the participants as a concern in an event held at the National Media Centre in New Delhi today. Setting the tone for the event, with this year's theme- “Safeguarding Press Credibility amidst Rising Misinformation”, PCI Chairperson Justice (Rt.) Ranjana Prakash Desai said, “AI can never replace the Human Mind”. The judgement, conscience and sense of responsibility which guides every journalist must prevent the spread of misinformation.

In his keynote address,  PTI CEO Vijay Joshi proposed his solution to combat the infodemic, we all face today as a society. He said, “Let accuracy take over the speed in traditional media and AI algorithm led engagements in digital media”. The event was graced by the Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Railways, and Electronics & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw. Union Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Dr. L. Murugan, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Sh. Sanjay Jaju and Secretary PCI Ms Shubha Gupta were also present on the occasion.

PCI Calls for Responsible Journalism

Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai highlighted the PCI’s dual responsibility of protecting press freedom and maintaining high journalistic standards. She said journalism needs honesty, accuracy, and a commitment to share correct information, especially now when misinformation and misuse of technology are increasing.

She mentioned that the PCI has created committees and fact-finding teams and reminded journalists to act responsibly and verify every fact. She also stressed the importance of financial security for journalists through welfare schemes and insurance, and said PCI’s internship programmes help young journalists learn ethical practices.

She added that while AI can be useful, the PCI stays alert to prevent its misuse. She emphasized that however advanced these tools may become , they can never replace the human mind– the judgement and conscience.

Upholding Credibility in AI Era

Shri Vijay Joshi, CEO of PTI, said the press must uphold strong ethics as the moral watchdog of democracy. He warned that paid news, advertorials and yellow journalism have damaged public trust. Digital disruption now prioritises engagement over accuracy, creating biased information bubbles. The pandemic showed how quickly truth and misinformation can mix, a danger worsened by AI today.

He also highlighted that  journalists must take shared responsibility for ensuring verifiable truth. He highlighted PTI’s legacy of truth, accuracy, fairness and independence since its founding by 99 newspapers. He stressed that accuracy must always come before speed and stories must be free of any agenda.

Initiatives like Fact Check help counter the flood of misinformation with multi-layered verification. He said safeguarding credibility requires training future journalists in ethics and critical thinking. Joshi reminded that press freedom is not a licence to pollute the information ecosystem and that journalism is a public service built on trust.

About Press Council of India

The Press Council of India was set up by an Act of Parliament as a quasi-judicial authority in 1966 (re-established in 1979), with the objective of having an internal self regulatory mechanism for the Print Media to ensure free and responsible reporting. Since then, the Press Council is constantly striving to protect and preserve the freedom of the press and to raise the standards of newspapers and news agencies in the country, and has also played a significant role as an advisory body to the legislature and other authorities. 

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Dharmendra Tewari/ Mahesh Kumar