In order to honour and acknowledge the establishment of the Press Council of India (PCI) in the year 1966, The National Press Day was observed on November 16 every year. It was this day when the Press Council of India began to function as a moral watchdog to assure that the press would maintain a high value that is expected from this powerful medium, while not getting hindered by the influence or threats of any kind of external factors.
History
Suggesting the establishment of the Press Council of India in 1956, the first Press Commission was planned to give it a nod to protect press freedom in India. The Commission had concluded that the best way to uphold the professional ethics in Journalism would be to form a governing body with statutory authority, of people that would be mainly linked to the industry with the duty to mediate. Therefore, on July 4, 1966, the Press Council was established in India that has never deviated from its set objectives.
Since then November 16 is celebrated as National Press Day every year.
Significance
The day signifies a sense of responsibility and freedom of the press in the country and those in the field honour the day. The day is suitably commemorated every year by the council. The governing body on the occasion has been organising seminars since 1997.
Under the Press Council Act of 1978, the Press Council of India was created in 1966. Justice Chandramauli Kumar Prasad is the present chairman of the body who is enjoying a second term at the top post in the body. Mr Prasad succeeded Justice Markandey Katju (2011- 2014) to become the chairman of the council.
Quotes, messages to send on this day
Freedom of the press is not just important to democracy, it is democracy - Walter Cronkite
A free press is one of the pillars of democracy - Nelson Mandela
A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people - John F. Kennedy
A free press can, of course, be good or bad, but, most certainly without freedom, the press will never be anything but bad – Albert Camus.
A free press needs to be a respected press – Tom Stoppard.
In a democracy, you need to have a strong judicial system. You need freedom of speech, you need art, and you need a free press – Tzipi Livni.
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Press is one thing that connects us with the world and that’s why we must thank it. Warm greetings on the occasion of National Press Day.
Let us celebrate the occasion of National Press Day by thanking all the press professionals for doing their job and serving us with the latest happenings around the world.
If there is not a responsible and dutiful press in a nation, the nation cannot progress and prosper. Wishing a very Happy National Press Day.