Srinagar, August 9
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the media had a love-hate relationship with politicians but both “can’t live without each other”. Ruling out that the media and politicians could live in harmony, he said if they were doing so, then “both of us are not doing our job.” He urged the media “not to become victims of paid news.”

Omar made these observations after launching Kashmir Tribune, a daily pull-out focused on coverage of the Valley and available with the regular Jammu and Kashmir edition of The Tribune. The Chief Minister said, “An advantage The Tribune has is that it is still a newspaper free from the bias of corporate ownership... others (newspapers) are either the victims of paid news or... where news is more often than not replaced by views... The Tribune has been able to resist both these diseases."

Speaking on the occasion, Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra, who was the Chief Guest, underscored the need for fair and unbiased reporting. “The role of media impacts governance, society and the course of events. Views and opinions on influencing the present and shaping the future are perhaps equally if not more important than the past," he said.

In his address, The Tribune Trust president Justice (retd) SS Sodhi remembered the founder of The Tribune, Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia while asserting that the long history of the newspaper would “testify to its non-partisan tradition, which we are committed to adhere to with the Kashmir Tribune too”.

Stating that it had long been the desire of The Tribune Trust to establish its presence in the Valley, he said: “Today marks the fulfilment of this wish.”

Also present at the function were The Tribune Trustees Lt Gen (retd) SS Mehta and Naresh Mohan.

Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune Raj Chengappa, who welcomed the dignitaries, said the launch of Kashmir Tribune marked a historic step forward in the coverage of the country’s frontier state.

“The people of Kashmir were yearning for peace that has seen tourists flock back to the state. It is now obvious that the people in the state want to move forward rather than look backward and seek a sustainable peace. Everywhere the sign of the great resurgence is evident,” said Chengappa.

Sanjay Hazari, General Manager of The Tribune Trust, offered the vote of thanks to the guests.