Assertion (A): The media have obligations to society, and media ownership is a public trust. News media should be truthful, accurate and objective. They should provide a forum for ideas and should be free but self-regulated.
Reason (R): Codes of ethics, professional standards and intervention of the society may unlikely to ensure media obligation and fairness.
(A) Both (A) and (R) are true
(B) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation
(C) (A) is true, but (R) is false
(D) (A) is false, but (R) is true
Correct Ans: (A)
Explanation:
Assertion (A) emphasizes that media have a responsibility to society and that media ownership is a public trust. News outlets must maintain truthfulness, accuracy, and objectivity. They should serve as a platform for diverse ideas while being free yet self-regulated. This ensures their integrity and promotes the well-being of society.
Reason (R) argues that relying on codes of ethics, professional standards, and society’s intervention may not necessarily guarantee media responsibility and fairness. This statement suggests that these measures alone might be insufficient in ensuring the media’s adherence to ethical principles.
Both the assertion and reason are true. Media ownership indeed holds a societal responsibility, and news outlets should maintain high ethical standards. However, while codes of ethics and professional standards are essential, they might not always ensure complete fairness or obligation unless supplemented by active societal oversight and self-regulation.
Thus, the correct answer is (A) Both (A) and (R) are true.
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