Bhopal, Dec 27 (UNI) Expressing concern over lack of contemplation in the Fourth Estate, an eminent journalist today opined that the reader alone could play a key role in conserving values.

''Spiralling commercialisation has reduced newspapers to the status of mere products and the management's dominance has marginalised editors and contemplation,'' Mr Ved Pratap Vaidik said here at 'Conservation of Values and Journalism', a seminar organised by the Department of Public Relations in memory of journalist Manik Chand Vajpeyi.

The increasing danger of commercialisation has enveloped even political parties and the tendency has spread to the education, thinking and religion spheres, Mr Vaidik said while indicating a leadership vacuum in the country and alleging that neither any political leader or party could challenge the tendency.

''The decline in newspapers has resulted in dishing out of substandard material and superficial information,'' he added while admitting that sting operations checked corruption.

Referring to Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar and other neighbouring countries, he called for an analytical study of the deterioration there.

State Public Relations Minister Lakshmikant Sharma presided over the event.

UNI