New Delhi

Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Sunday presented the Manorama News Newsmaker Award to Union minister Suresh Gopi, and lauded the BJP MP from Kerala’s Thrissur for his success in the fields of cinema and politics.

Radhakrishnan also emphasised the media's role in highlighting the positive developments to inspire the nation's youth.

Stressing journalism's responsibility as the “voice of the voiceless”, Radhakrishnan said it is the media's duty to combat fake news and deepfakes.

According to an official statement, the vice president highlighted the unique challenges of cinema and politics, and emphasised the media's essential role in highlighting the positive developments in the nation to inspire the youth.

He also highlighted the media's crucial role in creating a drug-free society by spreading awareness and shaping responsible public discourse.

In this age of artificial intelligence and deepfakes, it is becoming increasingly difficult to separate truth from fake news, he said.

The vice president recalled Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar's immortal words, “If a man speaks the truth with a pure heart, he stands higher than those who perform lifelong penance or give away billions in charity.”

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He also commended Manorama News for being Kerala's leading opinion-maker and a trusted voice, reflecting the people's pulse over the years.