Vice-President Mohammed Hamid Ansari has called upon journalists to stay away from sensationalism often displayed by the electronic media.

Speaking at the World Urdu Editors Conference in Hyderabad on Friday, Mr. Ansari said the demarcation between journalism and allied areas such as public relations was eroding.

He said the challenge was to develop methodologies of retaining the essence of these attributes and sustain the reputation for dependability of authentic news and sober analysis.

He expressed concern at the decline in the percentage of Urdu speakers despite the overall increase in population.