ID :
373548
Mon, 07/06/2015 - 10:57
Auther :

India's Old Guards Of Journalism

Delhi Diary By M.Santhiran M.Santhiran, Bernama's correspondent in New Delhi shares his take on the Indian capital city and its unique social nuances. NEW DELHI, July 6 (Bernama) -- They are in their 50s and 60s and carry their trademark cloth sling bag and a small note book. They arrive at functions on time on their faithful old motorcycles or rustic autos, and they leave no stones unturned in the their quest to come up with a good story. The seniors that I am referring to are the seasoned Indian journalists, in their 50s and 60s. These typewriter generation reporters who shy away from the gizmos like IC recorders, tabs and camera phone of the present day IT savvy reporters remain a force to be reckoned with in India. In Delhi, these graying reporters easily outnumber the younger ones especially in the print media. The first time I walked into the media room of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) after arriving in New Delhi early this year, I noted that there were only a handful of journalists in their late 20s, 30s or even 40s. These down to earth canny 'old pros' appeared to be a dominant force and as time went by I learnt that they were highly knowledgeable in their field of work. Their body language in expressing themselves would give one a good idea of how experienced this people were in journalism. MORE THAN 2,500 JOURNALISTS IN NEW DELHI According to PIB, the bureau in charge of issuing press accreditation, there were nearly 2,500 officially registered journalists working with various media in New Delhi alone. Other than English and Hindi, they worked with the print and electronic media in nearly 52 of the main languages of India. Within the media fraternity here, these seniors were considered "walking repository of knowledge" and I found that they could be of great help in improving my writing and getting a grasp of the local issues. After covering many of the events and press conferences with these seniors, I found that they were excellent communicators knowing well of what to ask, how to ask and what to expect for the source. THEIR EXPERIENCE SPEAK I was really impressed with their astuteness and their knowledge, but for them it was nothing special as their years of experience come in handy in dealing with any situation. However, they reminded juniors like me that "homework" on issues and facts is compulsory for all journalists and applicable even for seniors. In providing a better understanding to the readers on how these pros work, I like to share what I witnessed during a recent press conference held by Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. The press conference was attended by nearly 200 journalists, the majority being seniors and only a handful were young reporters. There were only a few voice recorders left on the table near the minister as the veterans put their faith on their hearing ability and their memory power. During the press conference that lasted more than an hour, the seniors subjected the minister with barrage of hard-hitting questions on foreign policy. WHERE ARE THE YOUNG REPORTERS IN INDIA So where are the young reporters of India? Or journalism is just a dying profession in India? The young reporters have been won over by the "glamorous" TV news channels and the new media. Being a broadcast journalists or news anchors interests the young. The work may be simpler as broadcast journalism does not demand a flair for writing unlike the print media where the seniors rule. In a country of 1.2 billion citizens, where 24/7 electricity supply and television still lacking in the outskirts, the old guards in journalism believe there is still room for the print media in India. They remain unfazed by onslaught of the "new media" - the online news portals, TV news channels and etc. While Internet connection, smartphones and other media devices remain beyond the reach of many, newspapers are relatively cheap in India and are easily available at all neighbourhood tea-stalls. THE OLD GUARDS TO STAY FOR NOW Though journalism in India may not be a rewarding career, the passion for writing is what keeps these seniors going. For them journalism is a noble profession and is the fourth pillar of democracy. These guys are well respected by general public and government officials. As for me, I see them as my mentors throughout my stay in Delhi. These seniors have my respect and will remain the guardians of journalism in India. -- BERNAMA

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