Journalism as a craft, a profession and even as a trade or business, is over two ceturies old. As a craft journalism involves specilisation
in one area. As a profession, it is maskedly different from other esteblished professions. To be well informed is to be well placed in life, for which every citizen aspires. The theory or the tradition of Info-edu-tainment is some where gone to darkness.
according to Wilnston Churchill,"a free press is the unsleeping guardian of every other right that free men prize."
Nothing less than the highest ideals, the most scrupl-ulous anxiety to do right, the most accurate knowledge of the problems it has to meet, and a sincere sence of social responsibilities will save journalism-----." Joseph Pulitzer
The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of the pants to the seat ofthe chair.
The sole aim of journalism should be service. The press is a geat power, but just as an unchained torrent of water ubmerges whole countryside and devastates crops, even so an uncontrolled pen serves but to destroy. If the control is from without it proves more poisonous than want of control. It can be profitable only when excercised from within. If this line of reasoning is correct, how many of journals in the world withstand test? And who should be the judge? The useful & useless must like good & evil generaly go together and man must make his choice. M.K.Gandhi
having played a revolutionary role during freedom struggle, after independence the media settled down to a new role as the information provides. That was a period of calmness and sebriety for most of the media. The mediahad become more market deriven and popularity conscious, both the print and electronic media played its part as watchdog.
As Gandhi said," the journalists peculiar function is to reach the mind of the country & to give definite and fearless expression to the mind." Gandhi himself showed the way and was a prolific writer and fearless editor who was both the voice of the people as well as the interpreter of the people's voice.
' The mettle of the journalists a nation brings forth is today a vital factor in the shaping of its industry." Karl Jaspers
Technological changes had brought about price wars and selling advertisements as news with erosion in editorial content and commodification and commercialisation of news added to the downfall. The basic feature of post independence media is the change in the nature of ownership. Owing a channel or a newspaper is now seen as a profit-making venture, as indeed it is in all countries where advertising sustains the profitability of a channel or paper.
Journalism is truth expressed in intelligiable language for information and education of the readers. True journalism vitalizes the nation. There is no room for sensiolinalism in it even if in the short run it might sell. It will be sheer sacrilege. True journalism is courageous, truthful, inspiring and exalling.
Courage to think different,
courage to invent,
Courage to travel into an unexplored path,
Courage to combat the problems;
And succeed in providing true information.
Are the unique qualities of the archivers.
Such journalism can be an effective tool for economic and political development of the nation. The media have a tremendous impact on the impressionable minds of the younger generation and anything other courageous, truthful and positive journalism would strike at the very root of the future of a healthy younger generation on whom the future of the entire nation would depend.
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