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media

Then came the Indian
Gazette in the later part of 1780
and it was followed by oth-
er newspapers like Calcutta
Gazette (1784), The Bengal Jour-
nal (1785), Madras Courier
(1785), Bombay Herald (1789),
Bombay Courier (1789), Bom-
bay Gazette (1791), Madras
Gazette (1795), India Her-
ald (1796), Calcutta Chronicle
(1811), Sambad Kaumudi (1822),
Mirat-ul-Akhbar (1822), Bombay
Samachar (1822) etc.
Recently speaking to
Guwahati reporters from Paris,
Daniel Bastard, head of Asia-
Pacific desk in Reporters sans
Frontiers (RSF) also admitted that
newspapers in countries like In-
dia would survive even though
mainstream journalism goes
increasingly online. He point-
ed out that with the invention
of photography, many people
writing a story, whatever the format, Agreeing that fake news is emerg- thought the painting would vanish, but
otherwise, they might lose themselves ing as a major threat to both alternate it did not happen.
in the crowd. as well as mainstream media, Gray said “Similarly, we thought, with the
Trained journalists should aim for that this puts a greater responsibility on spreading of the television network, the
high-quality journalism to clearly working journalists worth their salt. To radio will be obsolete, but the medium
separate themselves from untrained maintain credibility and retain the trust has bounced back in recent past with
citizen journalists and neophytes. of readers or viewers, he reminded, edi- new technology, content and presen-
Gray, who has been on the inter- tor-journalists have all the more reason tations,” commented the media rights
net since it first started and presently to be committed and pursue excellence activist adding that the newspapers
practising journalism for many years in their chosen profession. today must improve quality putting
in Australia, maintained that journal- Fighting with enormous credibility more in-depth analytical pieces rather
ists in his country strive to maintain crisis, where the editor as an institution than racing with alternate media for
high professional standards, and enjoy is losing its position, the Indian news- mere news contents.
a fair degree of job security and good papers continue growing. The $5 billion Coming back to our story, we had re-
pay packages. He also revealed that (Rs3,20,000 million) industry is estimat- alised that the readers would not come
various media forms in Australia, in- ed to grow for a few more years. The re- to us asking interventions to end the
cluding the press, radio-television and gional newspapers have shown prom- hawkers’ strike. Some of our seniors
alternative media, all coexist in their ising growth in the recent post and one took a desperate initiative to reach them
own space in a dynamic landscape. can expect the trend to continue for the calling their leaders to the press club.
It is clear that more people now next few decades. Pretending that we were mercilessly
turn to their smartphones for fresh Even though only 10 to 15 per cent In- hunted by the readers for the strike, we
news rather than looking for tradi- dian populace can understand and con- asked them to resolve the issue amica-
tional media outlets, Gray cautioned sume English till today, the first news- bly. For our relief, they agreed to distrib-
it has finally helped fake news to pen- paper in India (The Bengal Gazette), ute newspapers from the next morning.
etrate their minds. was published in that language on 29 And we escaped almost a disaster.
Moreover, it is often difficult to dis- January 1780 by James Augustus Hicky
tinguish the real from the fake, which during the British rule. It was a two- The author is a Guwahati based journalist
is manufactured with misinforma- page weekly newspaper, where most of and Secretary, Guwahati Press Club.
tion and even disinformation, he the space was occupied by government
maintained. advertisements. letters@tehelka.com

tehelka / 15 november 2018 59 www.tehelka.com

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