While presiding over the National Press Day function organised here today, Deputy Chief Minister, Mukesh Agnihotri said that the identity of the newspaper or any journal is due to the credibility of the news content and at the same time the stature of a journalist among its readers. This is only the biggest achievement of a journalist.
He said that truth, objectivity, transparency and impartiality are expected in journalism and the media has the responsibility of presenting important social events, information related to the work of the government and other information to society on the basis of truth and facts. Speaking on the Press Day theme of 'Role of media in the era of artificial intelligence' he said that the impact of digitalization can be clearly seen in the field of journalism, particularly during the last two decades.
The role of social media in this is also continuously increasing. Sh. Agnihotri said that people make use of the memory, processing capabilities, and cognitive talents that their brains provide them. The basis of human intellect is acquired via the process of learning through a variety of experiences and situations, whereas robots are unable to think in an abstract manner or make conclusions based on the experiences of the past and this is a big difference in the world of AI, which has to be realized by the media while reporting.
He said that there has been a sea change in the field of journalism and new technologies and techniques were being adopted by the media world. In this era of social media even print media and electronic media have its own importance which will never diminish. The Deputy Chief Minister said that the state government has also taken initiatives to incorporate this new technology.
All the government departments are shifting to and have adopted e-office system and using modern tools, appliances and new software, particularly in road safety, controlling crimes, in education, agriculture etc. and is also taking the help of Artificial Intelligence as well. He said that due to the expansion of information technology, every person has become a medium of information and communication.
Various videos related to the damage caused by the recent natural disaster were circulated by the people through social media. Even the press is playing an important role in strengthening democratic values. Sh. Agnihotri said that Media plays an important role in maintaining dialogue between the government and the public and called upon everyone to play a meaningful role in taking the developmental programs and welfare schemes of the government down to the last man and to the last corner.
He said that innovative initiatives like the facility of sending goods in the buses of Transport Corporation at minimum charges, online auction of vehicle numbers and the facility of VIP darshan in Chintpurni temple have not only increased the revenue of the state by crores, but also has increased transparency. The role of media in conveying the positive aspects of such decisions to the people in the right perspective has been commendable.
Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Information and Public Relations, Sanjay Awasthi said that media has played an important role since independence till date. While assimilating this period of change, we will have to remain firm on our values and ideals. He said that the discussion organized on National Press Day provides us an opportunity to discuss contemporary issues as well.
He said that the human mind is capable of adjusting its perspectives in response to the changing conditions of its surroundings. Because of this, people are able to remember information and excel in a variety of activities. However, AI takes a lot more time to adapt to unneeded changes. He appreciated the role of the media during the recent natural calamity in the state.
Participating in the discussion, the keynote speaker Sanjeev Bariana, Associate Editor of the Tribune said that Artificial Intelligence is the future of the human race. This has made our work easier and the reach of news has also increased manifold. Emphasizing the conscious use of AI, he said that its mischievous or wrong use cannot cause harm on a large scale. He said that objectivity is possible with the use of AI, but it can never be subjective at the level of consciousness.
Sh. Bariana also presented examples related to the recent falsification of videos through deep fakes and the spread of false information. Navneet Sharma, Editor Dainik Jagran Himachal edition said that instead of considering artificial intelligence as an enemy, we should consider it as our friend. It depends upon individuals that how wisely they make use of AI.
He said that artificial intelligence, though can be used to access information, report things or ease the work but still, it won't match human sensitivity and emotions. While the human brain finds ways to exceed our physical capabilities, the combination of mathematics, algorithms, computational methods, and statistical models is accelerating our scientific pursuit. AI is a friend who can shake your hand, hug you, but cannot embrace you.
He said that the use of artificial intelligence in the virtual world had started in the last years of the 90s. It will also be helpful for the media world to use it prudently in their daily work. Punjab Kesari Digital TV Editor Sanjeev Sharma said that with the changing times, information technology has also been continuously improving. Initially, we feel hesitant about change but with continuous use, we start feeling comfortable with it.
He said that there was no need to panic or fear Artificial Intelligence. By adopting its positive aspects, we should not hesitate to use AI. He said that in the era of social media, the use of AI is necessary but fact-check was equally important. Earlier, Director Information and Public Relations, Rajiv Kumar welcomed all the dignitaries on behalf of the department. He said that due to rapid changes in the field of information and communication technology, there has been a vast increase in information exchange.
This has also brought diversity in journalism. Various media representatives also shared their views in the discussion. A colourful cultural presentation was also given on the occasion. MLA, Harish Janartha, Mayor, Surinder Chauhan and senior media persons were also present on the occasion