The Blog Of Dysfunction

This is not a political blog, but I love the guy and just discovered that the speeches of the prime minister are available online .

This one is an year old speech from when he gave away the Goenka Journalism awards

As I have said before, freedom of press is more than just the freedom of publishers and editors. It is the freedom of society to have its voice heard. The exercise of this freedom does require, as your motto proclaims, a “journalism of courage”. However, it also requires a journalism of honesty and integrity. A journalism of toil and hard work. I also believe that a “journalism of courage” is not just about giving voice to those who are willing to shout, but it is about giving voice to the voiceless and to those who choose to be silent. I submit to you that a “journalism of courage” also implies taking sides. Objectivity does not imply neutrality. It implies respect for truth and facts, and a willingness to take positions, howsoever contrarian or contentious.

Our democracy was not built on the simple principle of the rule of the majority. It was, I believe, built on the idea of Unity in Diversity. That is the most important idea that Gandhiji and Panditji gave us. The idea of building a consensus. It is a great liberal idea. It rejects extremes and extremism. I believe it is an idea that our media must grapple with, come to terms with and promote in its own way.

You have a social responsibility, as an institution and a pillar of our democracy, to facilitate a consensus. You have a responsibility to uphold and articulate liberal values and empower liberalism. You can of course purvey the views of those who take extreme positions. But you owe it to your audience, and our nation, to place those views in their context, in a perspective.

If he has a ghost writer, the guy is brilliant.

ciao

schizo