The President, who started off as a journalist 50 years ago, had encouraging words for the regional press. He said the regional press would play a predominant role in the next millennium as it was ``closer to the people, read the pulse of the people and conveyed news that was acceptable to the masses''.

``While competing with the electronic media, newspapers tend to trivialise and commercialise news... It is an irresistible tendency but has to be resisted,'' he cautioned.

Narayanan asserted that despite competing with the electronic media, the print media would retain its supremacy, adding that the latter was ``a soul-stirring instrument unlike the electronic media.''

The President quoted Mahatma Gandhi and said ordinary people were the ``new reading class''. He advised theIndian press to refrain from sensationalism, simply to increase the paper's circulation. ``Only then will newspapers continue to retain their influence on the masses,'' he added.

He, however, said the reason for the regional press's success was its proximity to people at the grassroots level. ``They read the pulse of the people and it is the staple diet of the masses as they represent their agony and aspirations.''

The President further said the regional press had made great sacrifices during the country's freedom struggle and were great communicators since they communicated in the common man's language.

Malayalam Manorama editor and INS president Mammen Mathew thanked Narayanan for inaugurating the celebrations despite undergoing a cataract operation very recently.

Mathew said it would be unfortunate if the foreign print media was allowed into the country and imperilled the economic independence of Indian newspapers. He, however said he was not suggesting that the entry of foreign media woulddeliberately work against Indian interests. ``Instead, I am terrified of cultural castration,'' he said.

Pointing out that newspapers would change in form and content to survive in the digital age, Mathew said: ``But one precious thing has to remain constant. That is credibility.''