Unfortunately the Civil Society has yet to realize its narrow focus while reporting the news in the valley – there is more to daily life than just politics!
Journos, academicians, officials debate over press freedom
Ishfaq Mir (Rising Kashmir)
Srinagar, May 3: The Kashmir journalists here Saturday said that though the journalist community efficiently reported conflict in the region when everybody else left the Valley in search of safer havens, Kashmir media was not able to flourish into a full fledged industry.
The function on the World Press Freedom Day today organised by the Mass Communication Professionals Guild (MCPG) in collaboration with Kashmir Press Association was attended by noted journalists of the Valley who shared their views during an open discussion ‘Media in Kashmir – Challenges and Opportunities’.
Speaking on the occasion, BBC’s North India correspondent Altaf Hussain lauded the role of Kashmiri journalists and said that they stood against odds to prove their mettle.“When everybody left this place, Kashmiri journalists efficiently reported conflict. For us it was difficult to report the situation here as we were reporting our own conflict. To do so we needed to maintain balance and objectivity which at times was pretty thorny?”
However prominent journalist and Rising Kashmir Executive Editor, Riyaz Masroor said that despite thriving during the conflict years, the Kashmir media failed to emerge as an industry. Masroor said that there is an ample scope for print media in Kashmir.“Media is not considered an industry either by professionals or others. I strongly advocate media to be considered as an industry. We need to join hands to make Kashmir media progressive as it is having a direct influence on Kashmir’s politics,” said Masroor.
Zahiruddin, editor of a local English daily Etala’at lamented upon the role of Doordarshan Srinagar. “Unfortunately Doordarshan Srinagar is focussing on problems in Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK) and neglecting what should have been its prime concern. DDK Srinagar is highlighting the issues of PaK and forgetting its priority that is Kashmir,” said Zahiruddin. He was reacting to broadcast journalist Ghulam Nabi Ratanpori who opened up the discussion saying, “Journalism can not flourish in isolation and seclusion from political institutions. If they (political institutions) take a back seat, unwanted entities creep in and trouble the field of journalism. Moreover intellectuals need to participate in decision making but unfortunately intellectual freedom is missing.”
Director Information and Public Relations Zafar Ahmed while admitting that journalism in Kashmir despite shortcomings had grown and newspaper population increased substantially both in size and stature. Zafar said, “Our media has been facing challenges admirably well. Though the information department has its limitations we are trying to give our best.”
Appreciating the role of media in Kashmir, Farooq Renzu (DC, Budgam) said that journalists should refrain from ‘vengeance’ and ‘reactionary journalism’. Director DDK Srinagar Rafiq Masoodi made an analysis of media in Kashmir.
The programme was held at Institute of Management and Public Administration (IMPA) complex here. The World Press Freedom Day celebrated on May 3 serves as an occasion to inform the public of violations of the right to freedom of expression and as a reminder that many journalists brave death or jail to bring daily news to the people. World Press Freedom Day was designated by the United Nations to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of press and to remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to fredom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993, the day is celebrated every year on May 3, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek, a statement of free press principles put together by African newspaper journalists in 1991.