At least 10 speakers, some of whom are associated with the media, exhorted the participants to realise the media's importance, its role and the speed with which it works. Examples of the recent national crisis about vegetable, salt and edible oils prices figured in the workshop, even as the communal tension in different parts of the State was termed to have been ``blown out of proportions by a section of the media''.

This happened due to the delay or absence of any response from the state BJP, says party spokesman in Gujarat Bharat Pandya. ``And it is because of these flaws of party workers that the party's image took a beating, at least in the eyes of viewers of electronic media and readers of newspapers and magazines'', he said, adding that participants have been asked to be alert in the future.

He announced that a State media cell convenor would be appointed in each district in the State who would have access to phones and fax to communicate with the State headquarters. The units at six major cities -- namely Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar and Rajkot would have E-mail facilities as well, he added.

Well-known journalist and Rajya Sabha member Arun Shourie, Praful Goradia, MP (Rajya Sabha), senior journalists Dinanath Mishra, Hari Desai and Ajay Umat, leaders K D Jeswani, Gordhan Jhadapia, Sanjay Joshi, and others spoke during the workshop.