I am obliged to inform, hence I am a journalist

'Nagaland Page' was launched in 1999. I had moved to Delhi in 1998.

(This is my piece written as the paper completes 20 years, and I am being honest to point at the malady in contemporary journalism)

What is journalism, what does it mean in our lives? Why should it mean anything? Bertrand Russel is what of fashion these days. 

Once he wrote: “Religions grow old like tress unless reformed from time to time”.

Journalism too like everything dynamic – like religion – in this world needs changes. But journalism in India and perhaps globally has actually ‘changed’ pretty fast and possibly towards a wrong direction.

One single biggest difference between religion and journalism is that the latter does not come in inheritance. One can be Hindu only if one is born to Hindu parents.

But one can be a journalist even if one is born to parents who would prefer ten to five jobs at any cost.

One certainly gets personal and emotional while writing a few lines for Nagaland Page when the esteemed paper is completing 20 years of its existence. It certainly came out of hard work of some professionals – one knew them closely as friends.

1999 Journalism in Nagaland was also about life risk! Hence salute to friends Monalisa Changkija and Dilip!

My baptism into journalism in Nagaland was in an era when it was hardly considered glamorous in Nagaland. “So you also (emphasis) write…” – used to be the usual refrain.

The excitement among those who would like to admire you would enhance further as one knew – you are also a science drop out and you are a Bong!

Actually after my ‘adventure with science’ flopped miserably like a pack of cards, JOURNALISM emerged as my SAVIOUR! Without journalism and having failed to turn into an ‘engineer’ – a very fashionable sickness of our time – one could have turned a drug addict.

To give it a romantic flavor – after my grand mom – Journalism became my first love! The encouragement from senior Naga journalists and my All India Radio ‘guru’ Asheem Poddar is worth cherishing.

I ought to thank and bow in tribute to former colleague the late Lelie Legise and DIPR Nagaland officials led by very energetic K Pesieye sahab.

Support came from an equally supporting ‘friend’ Chipeni Merry – who used to even reprimand. “Don’t rot here”!

One needed to board the train to Delhi.

But journalism in Delhi was in transformation mood right from the moment I landed in the capital. Slowly it turned into a ‘disease’ by itself.

Today, unhesitatingly I can say – I have started hating it for the manner it is moving.

It, therefore, certainly needs reforms today — but the bigger challenge is – it has to come inherently. And this looks difficult under the given circumstances largely because selfish motives of glamour, power and money have struck people. And sadly even a fresher joining journalism in India today is guided into the noble profession with ‘motives’.

He or she is hardly keen about ‘out of box’ life schedules and adventures associated with journalism.

I am not suggesting earlier generations were saints. But, things started deteriorating almost by late 1990s at the national level. Incidentally, this writer landed in Delhi in 1998 with a first regular job with Press Trust of India (PTI) and it was in 1999 Nagaland Page hit the stands.

Around the same time came in the ‘liberalism of economy’ and advent of television and so-called pink paper (business) journalism.

At the national level, as one experienced, the new era journalism brought in packet journalism and ‘gifted’ press conferences!

Slowly the standards reached higher scale – it got mixed up with demand for flats, foreign junkets, etc. Owners and Editors were no sacred cows (or any other animal) too!

Thus – we have reached the stage where we stand today.

As it is from ethical perspective, Delhi has a history of being a ‘jugadu’ city. If you know someone – your work is always easier here – no matter you could be on the wrong side.

As one went around press conferences and other events in the city, it became clear – not many people around were ‘meritorious’ nor committed to journalism.

“Naukri karni hae bhai (I am just doing my job)” – was one approach that guided my colleagues.

Thus, the decline is investigative journalism was bound to come. Lip service seemed order of the day and ‘bluff’ a virtue.

As one moved to Mumbai and also in Gujarat for some time, it became clear that the malady in journalism was almost universal.

My understanding of journalism – which perhaps does not fit into today’s definition – is basically that – it is an ethical game guided by commitment of individuals towards the profession. This is a big time shortage today as very systematically things have been destroyed.

In today’s journalism especially in Indian context and especially among younger generation and even colleagues from our era, we find certain mandatory provisions lacking.

These are wide reading, inter-disciplinary approach and importance of detachment. In fact we have just the opposite ‘virtues’ prevailing in today’s journalism. The vanishing act of reading has brought in mediocrity and below average qualities.

Hence – even senior political journalists would not know that Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections are held every six years and not five!

In Delhi, people think the knowledge about Northeast can be obtained by talking to some Northeastern people working or who are settled in Delhi.

On moral front, as stated above ‘jugadu’ journalism is the key stepping stone today – more so in large cities Delhi, Mumbai and various state capitals.

In Lucknow and Chandigarh, journalists generally whisper how ‘people’ managed houses from the state Governments.

Journalists – thus – no longer talk about ‘stories’ or working in challenging situations as opportunities! They talk about junkets, getting into official patronage and in the long run even closer to the throne – where it suits.

A section of people have tried to give a spin that things deteriorated under Narendra Modi. This may be only a chicken and egg story. More precise finding is that the ‘weakness’ in journalism cultivated for years has ultimately suited Mr Modi and his political machinations.

In fact, it will not be erroneous to suggest that is the lack of professional journalism that has contributed in making a larger than life image of the brand Moditva.

It all came indirectly although. He has rather exploited the weakness and the malady!

Thanks to television journalism and later backed by social media – the ‘screening process’ ended. Thus the Congress slogan ‘Chowkidar Chor hae’ was widely reported implying that country’s Prime Minister is a ‘thief’.

There was no fear of defamation and no ‘editing’ and screening. Ultimately, as BJP crossed the 300 mark, it is certain today that the people of India did not approve of such negativism.

‘Lobbying’ journalism in 2009 and around gave birth to Nira Radia tape episode where journalists were taking messages and meeting politicians trying to work which minister(s) should get which portfolio!

Even in Nagaland such deterioration is not heard off!

Respect cannot come on its own. A senior colleague in Delhi sums up the story well. He says Editors of contemporary setting in national journalism in Delhi or Mumbai are more keen to enter Rajya Sabha (as nominated members) than run the papers!

Have I sounded very pessimistic? Have I drawn the canvas very dark?

Legendary scribe Nikhil Chakravarty once said, “If you can see the world going up in flames, your job is to communicate that there’s fire so that people can call the fire brigade”.

But switch on the TV channels and you will tend to believe – journalists believe it’s their role to play the fire brigade. Hence covering Narendra Modi means – you have to write against him – all the time and on all issues.

This has not made any difference to Modi or his election results. Instead he got voters sympathy.

S C Jamir, the illustrious Naga politician, used to tell us in 1990s – “Negative publicity is also publicity”. Jamir was Gujarat Governor for a brief spell when Modi was the state Chief Minister.

Few years ago, some of us were in a seminar at Itanagar. Respected Monaji – Nagaland Page Editor Monalis Changkija was with us.

On that occasion Swedish journalist Bertil Lintner had cautioned about ‘peace journalism’.

“Some people do talk about ‘peace journalism’, but to me that is a dangerous approach to the kinds of conflicts I have covered and still covering. My worst fear is if you see promoting peace as a goal or an objective, it is very easy to become biased. Then you would filter information and write only about what you think may serve the purpose of promoting peace. That, I am afraid, will lead to distorted views of reality …… simply because truth is always not very pleasant”.

I think, there is a big message in that.

We, journalists, should not get into the business of deciding what is good or what is bad. Our job is to inform and let us do it sincerely.

(Courtesy 'Nagaland Page' May 30, 2019