National press day-2022
img src= "google img"

Every year 16 November is celebrated as National Press Day to acknowledge and honor the Press Council of India (PCI). The day marks the presence of a free and responsible press in the country.

National Press Day 2022: Every year 16 November is celebrated as National Press Day to acknowledge and honor the Press Council of India (PCI). This day marks the presence of a free and responsible press in the country. The Press Council of India also checks the quality of reporting of the Indian press and monitors journalistic activities.

National Press Day: Importance of press freedom

A free press is often called the voice of the voiceless, the link between the all-powerful rulers and the downtrodden. It brings out the evils and maladies of the system and helps the government find solutions to these in the process of strengthening the values ​​of a democratic system of governance. No wonder why it is called one of the four pillars of a strong democracy, and the only one where common people participate directly. The other 3 are the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary – a coterie of a select few.

The council is extremely important for India as it was created naturally to protect the fourth pillar of democracy i.e. free press. Hence it continuously works to ensure that the credibility of journalism is not compromised.

National Press Day: History

The First Press Commission made the decision to create a body with statutory authority in 1956. Who has the responsibility of maintaining the ethics of journalism? The commission felt that there was a need for a managing body to connect with the press people and mediate any issues that may arise. PCI was formed in 1966 on 16 November. The National Press Day of India is celebrated every year since then on 16 November to commemorate the establishment of the Council.

According to the official website of the Press Council of India, the council is traditionally chaired by a retired Supreme Court judge and has 28 additional members, 20 of whom are members of media outlets operating in India. Five members are nominated from the Houses of Parliament and the remaining three represent the cultural, legal, and literary fields.