We all have witnessed newspaper stands encumbered with papers (daily, weekly, monthly), tabloids and magazines. Did you ever thought about that stand? It has such a big quantity of publications loaded on it that the stand himself doesn’t know the exact figure. But, do not blame him either because can anyone of you recollect the precise tally; forget about the names, of all the newspapers you notice on the stands.
Every other day, we have a brand new newspaper being launched and yet again, it announces to be the finest. It asserts to be unusual and carrying the ‘voice of the masses’. I, from time to time, wonder if we have so many channels to speak, why are the “voices” unheard? Have you even tried to imagine what it means to own a newspaper? Not really, because it might mean nothing to you. But, do the people who hold such positions really know what it means.
Print media in valley still enjoys a much higher position than the electronic counterpart. Besides our press enclave, considered to be the hub of media, every nook and corner of the city has a newspaper office. Still, I have not been able to recognize the motive of some people behind running a newspaper. There is a very interesting incident that occurred to me when I was a student like I am right now although the age and weight have augmented.
Once I went to a marriage celebration and having lately joined Mass Communication course, I was introduced to a person who was an editor of newspaper whose name I had never heard. He talked to me a lot about journalism, of which I knew nothing, and the fascination and passion for it. I got more than a couple of chances to meet the gentleman over the coming few weeks. He finally invited me to his office one day. It was a two room cozy office and the paper was being sent for printing. He asked me if I wanted a copy or two of his newspaper and I said yes. He called someone and said, “Aaz chapayzev 2 copies extra, ye bache chu na aatum, amis ti havo as kya chi chapavan, magar paper chun zaya karun” (Print two copies extra, this kid also wants to see what we publish but make sure you don’t waste any piece of paper).
In one second, all the admiration for the fellow died and I am still in the process of thinking if that was the journalism he was talking about. An editor prints an exact number of copies for the near and dear ones and limits the use of our newspaper just as a means of money making.
In a conflict region like Kashmir, news sells like hot cakes. It is the best place for any individual to work in any type of media. But, that necessarily doesn’t mean that you forget the basic duties of owning a paper and keep on striving hard to earn the personal benefits. It makes people to begin questioning the authenticity of media. You should be opinion makers, the people to bring revolution, change minds and do what is best for the community. But, as again I said, our media people also seem to be a lost crowd.
There is another fear that is quite dreadful, about the ignorant journalist. People who just take a pen, a paper, a camera, hang an ID card around their neck and become journalists. They can be devastating to the society. For them, sensationalism is the ‘best’ news and creativity, morals, ethics, principles and rules are ‘mere’ words in the English dictionary. These journalists do not seem to think whether they need to know anything at all or not before writing even a word.
One remembers the name of only a handful of journalists whose stories we wait to read, who speak through their writings and who know what they write. Answer a simple question, name ten journalists from different newspapers in one minute? If you get this answer, you will realize what do I mean by ignorant journalists?
Everyone can be a journalist but not all. It requires passion, the extraordinary role to play in the society, becoming a voice of unheard and down trodden, the hunger for truth and the love for doing this. There is a threat lies that lies in blurring the line between journalism and public relations. When such a thing happens, a journalist denies his or her liability to implement a personal verdict of what is important by substituting for it the judgment of others. A possible reaction of the profession must lie in determination on editorial independence as a supporter of journalistic honesty. It takes plenty to be a journalist.
Each and every one upcoming editor has a particular line to say, “We will hit the stands soon”. I imagine what will happen to that stand you all are going to hit. That stand is already occupied by so many publications to take the weight. It is not a big thing to hit the stands but to survive there and get recognized. I anticipate that the future editors will consent with it.
With all the respect for the people who have been running newspapers and doing justice to it, this article is just an attempt to discover the ugliest side of operating a newspaper. Media is not just about money, it means a lot more than that.
According to Mamkol, “Read a news-paper$ before publishing one, you might find out more than a few thing$”.
Every other day, we have a brand new newspaper being launched and yet again, it announces to be the finest. It asserts to be unusual and carrying the ‘voice of the masses’. I, from time to time, wonder if we have so many channels to speak, why are the “voices” unheard? Have you even tried to imagine what it means to own a newspaper? Not really, because it might mean nothing to you. But, do the people who hold such positions really know what it means.
Print media in valley still enjoys a much higher position than the electronic counterpart. Besides our press enclave, considered to be the hub of media, every nook and corner of the city has a newspaper office. Still, I have not been able to recognize the motive of some people behind running a newspaper. There is a very interesting incident that occurred to me when I was a student like I am right now although the age and weight have augmented.
Once I went to a marriage celebration and having lately joined Mass Communication course, I was introduced to a person who was an editor of newspaper whose name I had never heard. He talked to me a lot about journalism, of which I knew nothing, and the fascination and passion for it. I got more than a couple of chances to meet the gentleman over the coming few weeks. He finally invited me to his office one day. It was a two room cozy office and the paper was being sent for printing. He asked me if I wanted a copy or two of his newspaper and I said yes. He called someone and said, “Aaz chapayzev 2 copies extra, ye bache chu na aatum, amis ti havo as kya chi chapavan, magar paper chun zaya karun” (Print two copies extra, this kid also wants to see what we publish but make sure you don’t waste any piece of paper).
In one second, all the admiration for the fellow died and I am still in the process of thinking if that was the journalism he was talking about. An editor prints an exact number of copies for the near and dear ones and limits the use of our newspaper just as a means of money making.
In a conflict region like Kashmir, news sells like hot cakes. It is the best place for any individual to work in any type of media. But, that necessarily doesn’t mean that you forget the basic duties of owning a paper and keep on striving hard to earn the personal benefits. It makes people to begin questioning the authenticity of media. You should be opinion makers, the people to bring revolution, change minds and do what is best for the community. But, as again I said, our media people also seem to be a lost crowd.
There is another fear that is quite dreadful, about the ignorant journalist. People who just take a pen, a paper, a camera, hang an ID card around their neck and become journalists. They can be devastating to the society. For them, sensationalism is the ‘best’ news and creativity, morals, ethics, principles and rules are ‘mere’ words in the English dictionary. These journalists do not seem to think whether they need to know anything at all or not before writing even a word.
One remembers the name of only a handful of journalists whose stories we wait to read, who speak through their writings and who know what they write. Answer a simple question, name ten journalists from different newspapers in one minute? If you get this answer, you will realize what do I mean by ignorant journalists?
Everyone can be a journalist but not all. It requires passion, the extraordinary role to play in the society, becoming a voice of unheard and down trodden, the hunger for truth and the love for doing this. There is a threat lies that lies in blurring the line between journalism and public relations. When such a thing happens, a journalist denies his or her liability to implement a personal verdict of what is important by substituting for it the judgment of others. A possible reaction of the profession must lie in determination on editorial independence as a supporter of journalistic honesty. It takes plenty to be a journalist.
Each and every one upcoming editor has a particular line to say, “We will hit the stands soon”. I imagine what will happen to that stand you all are going to hit. That stand is already occupied by so many publications to take the weight. It is not a big thing to hit the stands but to survive there and get recognized. I anticipate that the future editors will consent with it.
With all the respect for the people who have been running newspapers and doing justice to it, this article is just an attempt to discover the ugliest side of operating a newspaper. Media is not just about money, it means a lot more than that.
According to Mamkol, “Read a news-paper$ before publishing one, you might find out more than a few thing$”.
2 comments:
Quite an interesting piece. I had a similar thought of which I am still finding a clue. It was about the number of Religious place we have in Kashmir. It has gone to an extent that every family will own a Mosque in the future I suspect rather than assembling at one place where people will stand shoulder by shoulder regardless of caste, creed or social status.
The solution to your opinion I think is the responsibility that lies with the Government who always fail to check such catastrophe from spreading. Partly the responsibility also lies with the existing "good" Newspapers who never hire potential and talent. Once these things are covered, I can definitely name the ten editors or moulders.
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