President Mukherjee lauds media, expresses faith in its ability to stay ahead of tech curve

New Delhi: Hailing the role of media in upholding individual freedom, President Pranab Mukherjee said on Thursday that technology expansion will pose a problem but expressed confidence that the media will succeed in overcoming the challenge. Releasing the book, The Eighth Ring, an autobiography of late Chief Editor of Malayala Manorama group of newspapers K M Mathew at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Mukherjee said the media, including newspapers and periodicals, have made immense contribution since the pre-Independence era. [caption id=“attachment_1791805” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Pranab Mukherjee. AFP.[/caption] At the function attended by a host of dignitaries from various walks of life, Mukherjee paid tributes to K M Mathew whom he had known personally, highlighting the role he played in expansion of the Malayala Manorama group which was even inter-linked with the freedom struggle. “I knew K M Mathew since early days of my life which is neither too long nor too short — in early 1970s,” he said. The President said that he salutes the media as it “never compromised with the right of individuals to speak as per their conviction.” Tracing the growth of media in the country over centuries, the President noted that the newspapers established since then have been doing reasonably well. “However, technology will pose a problem. But I do feel that the Indian journalists and editors have the capacity to adjust and will adjust…I am confident that the media will succeed in meeting the challenge posed by the technology. You may like it or not but it is going to be there,” he said. He said while the old fashioned may feel threatened by the expansion of technology, there is no denying the fact that Internet has converted the world into a small village. PTI