The freedom to speak, like any other freedoms, ends where someone else’s space begins. Quite like how the right to swing one’s arm ends the moment someone’s nose comes in the way. When it comes to speech, that Laxman Rekha would be where someone’s eardrums begin hurting. Since one cannot really go around telling people to shut up, a more civilized way to handle the situation would be to clarify to those with a weakness for public outpourings that free speech does not come bundled with the right to be believed. For that, one will have to work more on the supporting arguments and relevance. In Sikkim, the most public domain becomes the newspapers. A press release to publications starved for news, and reportage is guaranteed. No problems thus far, newspapers are after all mediums for sharing information, and opinions held by organizations, political parties and individuals have a right to be aired. The problem starts when the fourth estate starts presenting news culled from press releases as independent stories. Here the reader tends to get misled. Newspapers do not speak themselves in news-reports [that is done in the editorial space] and a report is, well, a report. When editorial comment starts encroaching on news reports, issues get muddled and compromised. In the end, we, as newspapers, end up defeating the very reason we are in business – to provide a clear picture of how events unfolded, opinions were expressed and, on the odd occasion, drama played out. The requirement for newspapers to work harder on their research and legwork is more amplified nowadays with the Right to Information coming into play. The Act might still be in a nascent stage [at least in Sikkim] at present, but it will eventually become more vigorous and then a weak ‘story’ will get exposed if people decide they want to know the real truth. The same, thankfully, applies to parties in power and those sitting out. Claims and allegations are now verifiable by the people. Everyone has to become more careful now about what is blurted out in public, because, should the people decide to do so, they can verify the facts for themselves. Once they start doing so they will also perhaps learn that nothing can be taken at face value – not claims, not allegations, not even news reports – and be able to decide who has been truthful with them. That’s empowerment.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Editorial: Free Speech in the Times of RTI
The freedom to speak, like any other freedoms, ends where someone else’s space begins. Quite like how the right to swing one’s arm ends the moment someone’s nose comes in the way. When it comes to speech, that Laxman Rekha would be where someone’s eardrums begin hurting. Since one cannot really go around telling people to shut up, a more civilized way to handle the situation would be to clarify to those with a weakness for public outpourings that free speech does not come bundled with the right to be believed. For that, one will have to work more on the supporting arguments and relevance. In Sikkim, the most public domain becomes the newspapers. A press release to publications starved for news, and reportage is guaranteed. No problems thus far, newspapers are after all mediums for sharing information, and opinions held by organizations, political parties and individuals have a right to be aired. The problem starts when the fourth estate starts presenting news culled from press releases as independent stories. Here the reader tends to get misled. Newspapers do not speak themselves in news-reports [that is done in the editorial space] and a report is, well, a report. When editorial comment starts encroaching on news reports, issues get muddled and compromised. In the end, we, as newspapers, end up defeating the very reason we are in business – to provide a clear picture of how events unfolded, opinions were expressed and, on the odd occasion, drama played out. The requirement for newspapers to work harder on their research and legwork is more amplified nowadays with the Right to Information coming into play. The Act might still be in a nascent stage [at least in Sikkim] at present, but it will eventually become more vigorous and then a weak ‘story’ will get exposed if people decide they want to know the real truth. The same, thankfully, applies to parties in power and those sitting out. Claims and allegations are now verifiable by the people. Everyone has to become more careful now about what is blurted out in public, because, should the people decide to do so, they can verify the facts for themselves. Once they start doing so they will also perhaps learn that nothing can be taken at face value – not claims, not allegations, not even news reports – and be able to decide who has been truthful with them. That’s empowerment.
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from this editorial one gets the feeling that the editor of NOW! takes his journalistic vocation quite seriously.from his tone one gets the impression that he speaks not just for his rag but the journalistic fraternity at large. fair enough. we needed such soul searching, such introspection, such timely appraisal of what needs to be done.
ReplyDeletehowever he seems to forget an existential dilemma. he doesn't forget it actually. there is a Freudian lapse when he says, and i quote him...."end up defeating the very reason we are in business – to provide a clear picture of how events unfolded, opinions were expressed and, on the odd occasion, drama played out. "
yes sir you said it. newspaper is a business. you are in the business. an editor's got to eat , no?
now there are very few papers in the world that survive solely on subscription. perhaps some left wing paper in some latin american country has a reading constituency that allows the paper to not rely on advertisements. but for the rest of the world advertisements are what keep the home fires burning. unfortunately in Sikkim where there is hardly any corporate activity this has to come by the way of the government.
to cut the chase, no matter what sanctimonious position of journalistic ethics an editor claims to espouse the ground reality is that he has to toe the government line. period.
there goes objectivity, empowerment, truth out of the IPR window.