Bengaluru, Apr 17 (DHNS): Law Minister T B Jayachandra on Thursday said the media acted like judges while publishing and telecasting news.

Speaking at the Karnataka Madhyama Academy awards presentation ceremony in Bengaluru, he said the media should introspect their acts of printing or relaying feed.

“We call journalism as literature in hurry. But in the process, truth is sacrificed. These days TV channels show a murder or suicide without ascertaining the facts and reasons behind it,” he commented. Jayachandra said the present government would never curb the freedom of the press and media, but urged journalists to impose self- censorship on what they publish or telecast.

“This government will never impose any censorship on the media. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the government have always proclaimed this. But the media itself needs to introspect,” he said.

The following journalists received the awards for 2014:

Special Award was presented to M S Prabhakara (Kamarupi) (former correspondent of The Hindu and Frontline). A journalist and writer, Prabhakara was given the award for his lifetime contribution to journalism.  

The annual awards were given to Gayathri Nivas (Deccan Herald), M Nagaraj (Prajavani), M K Bhaskar Rao, Laiq A Khan, H T Anil, Astro Mohan, Kotiganahalli Ramaiah, K  V Ramappa, B Honnappa Bhavikeri, Leelavathi, Lingenahalli Sureshchandra, Iftekar Ahmed Sharief, Virendra Sheelavantha, Rizwan Ullah Khan, B S Prabhu Rajan, S Nagendra, Devendrappa H Kapanoorkar, B V Gopinath, Rons Bantwal, Gandharvasena, Shivakumar Adiveppa Bhojshettar, Shivanand Tagadur, V Nanjundappa, Basavaraj Hongal, C N Raju, Nagalakshmi Bai, Vinayaka Gangolli, N Ravikumar, Vilas Melagiri, Manjunath M Adde, Raksha Kattebelaguli, S Lakshminarayana, Sahukar Chandrashekar Rao (Sacha), Bangle Mallikarjun.