Corporate control stifling journalistic voices: CM

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A challenge to media freedom is a challenge against democracy and critical thinking, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday. He was speaking after the official inauguration of the International Media Festival of Kerala 2025 organised by the Kerala Media Academy at Tagore Theatre in the state capital. Pinarayi highlighted the mounting challenges faced by the media. Once, the media was regarded as a pillar of democracy. Now things have changed a lot. Critics of administrations are being booked under sedition, he said, citing the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh and the case against NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha as examples. The CM further pointed out that increasing corporate control over the media has stifled many journalistic voices. The CM presented the Media Person of the Year Award to Mariam Ouedraogo, the Indian Media Person of the Year award to Karan Thapar, and the Indian Media Person Award 2024 to Rajdeep Sardesai on the occasion. As a mark of solidarity with Palestine, a canvas roll bearing the signatures of the festival participants was handed over to the Palestinian Ambassador to India, Abdullah Abu Shawesh. The CM also inaugurated the State InformationHub (Research and Reference, Social Media) of the Information and Public Relations Department on the Tagore Theatre premises.