News media urged not to run after social media trends

Assembly Speaker A.N. Shamseer has said that news media should always keep their standards and need not run after “trends” like social media platforms.

He was addressing the convocation ceremony of the Calicut Press Club’s Institute of Communication and Journalism here on Tuesday (March 10, 2026).

Mr. Shamseer pointed out that news channels were often losing credibility as they aired “breaking news” stories without cross-checking or verification. “However, we cannot think about a world without the news media. Nobody can deny its role in speaking truth to power,” he said.

Mr. Shamseer, meanwhile, claimed that a section of the media in Kerala had acted like “quotation gangs”. “They tried to eliminate certain politicians and continuously targeted them. The news media should ensure the authenticity of their sources. If you have the right to criticise politicians, others have a similar right to criticise you as well,” he said.

Students who scored high marks were felicitated at the event. Calicut Press Club functionaries were present.