Journalism of That Time and Journalism of This Time

 Journalism of That Time and Journalism of This Time

                                                 Bhishm Kukreti

                  Jay Prakash Panwar JP of ‘Paharnama’ fame wrote in a title ‘Media ka Chaltau Chunvai Vishleshan’ Yogwani weekly that the journalists were even not knowing the geographical diversities between Gangotri valley and Yamanotri valley and many journalists wrote a if both the valleys are one and same. A few journalists might have perceived Neti and Mana are in the same area as far as election is concerned because we commonly say Neeti-mana area without knowing that both areas are apart.

            I remember at the time of Jagmohan Singh Negi Ji verses Bhairv Datt Dhulia assembly election, a press reporter came to our area for taking the stock. He came on foot from Kotdwara and since, there was no hotel culture in Garhwal, and the said journalist had to take meal with a village family in each village. The journalist had to pay attention the villagers in a Baithwak where villagers used to come and the villagers used to share their views without any prejudice mind. The journalist had to talk with real people and had to experience the real problems or happiness of the people. In such circumstances, the story would be real because of experiencing was real. Touch with people by journalists was there in old time.

   Long back, I met Shri Chandola ji of Yugwani , Dehradun. Initially Chandola ji was a crime journalist with Times of India. Chandola Ji used to travel by bus or tram in getting news. In travelling, Chandola ji had to stand on bus stops and in those circumstances had to meet people everywhere.    

Now days, the advancement in technology had made our life easy including getting news by journalists. Now, any journalist sitting in Kochin, Kerala can talk with known personality of Piplakoti and can write about happenings of Piplakoti or Pandukeshwar with ease. The journalist of Jamnagar Gujarat can know few main points through emails from Garhwal.  But touch with human beings is missing in those findings.

  Take an example of journalism of modern time. Most of the newspapers and television media were reporting that Maharashtra Nav nirman Sena of raj Thakrey will harm his uncle’s Shiv Sena. However, the results were just opposite of journalists reporting from all media.  Those who watched yesterday’s television reporting about election held for Maharashtra Self governments. Most of the channels were making the outcome of Mumbai as the entrance for Shiv Sena in next assembly election in Maharashtra. However, most of the channels forgot to highlight that Congress won the most of Zila Parishad elections. The real high light was Congress-NCP winning   seats in most of the Zila parishad election and not Mumbai. Sensitization of news has becoming more popular than the reality.

 These days, journalists from cities come through motor bike or car in rural area. They talk with people inmandi type of places and by evening return to cities. 

               I know a journalist, who always watches the daily survey being done by news papers or television channels on Internet. The said journalist uses these surveys for improving his reporting. However, the human touch is missing there.

  Most of us are well experienced that journalists and poll forecasting by journalists failed miserably in past. The real cause of journalists failing in election forecasting is those journalists have less human touch with the people and thus failing in assessing   the real aspiration of people.