The Press we deserve "People get the Press they deserve." At first glance, this argument might seem very unfair on the reader. It implies that those responsible for building the Press can dish out just about any quality and content, and then turn around and blame it on the reader. But, there's some element of truth in the above assertion.
The media -- including the Press, important given that the electronic media is still in a nascent stage in Goa, unlike in bigger States -- are vital institutions to any society. At one level, it is a business. But it is surely more than that. It remains a tool through which a society defines and expresses its voice, its aspirations, its hopes and its goals. By building a shared perspective of what are the priorities of our State, or how (in)efficient those governing us are, we are jointly defining how we wish to shape our society. The media plays a crucial role in sharing -- or neglecting to share -- information that can make a vital difference in forging our tomorrows. It is too important an institution to be left in the hands of a few dozen professionals. More so, in a small state like Goa, the media needs to be actively shaped by the wider society around it. Yet how many of us actually take the trouble to contribute our bit to making the newspapers we read even more reflective of Goa and all her people? In the 1990s, a World Bank survey asked thousands of the poorest of the poor to identify the biggest hurdle to their advancement. Above even food and shelter, the number one problem cited was access to a "voice". Medium and smaller newspapers still offer another channel for such a purpose. Surely, society needs to plan ahead to find its voice through such institutions. Politicians understand how things work. Over three days, one political aide put in a couple of phone calls to voice grievances or queries over the points made in editorials. You can expect a senior official to send back a message saying a critical-sounding editorial "seems to have been written somewhat in a hurry". Not so long ago, a section of Goa's journalists were stung to find themselves being hit back by a series of official 'clarifications' which, they felt, sought to obfuscate the issue rather than state the facts. There have also been those politicians who are quick to jump-upon anyone writing anything they seem damaging their interests. Through a mix of rumour and allegation, some have tried to tarnish reputations. There are times when politicians of conflicting shades think those sections of the media which exercises its critical faculties have sold out to the 'other side'. On the contrary, the average reader lacks the desired pro-active nature. Often, readers seem reluctant to buy the logic that they have a right to shape their paper. There may be a handful of individuals who are quick to make a point by writing in often; but this is not enough. Feedback, whether negative or even positive, can be slow in coming. This being ineffective in ensuring that papers continue to better serve Goa's interest to the best. We have argued in the past about the pressing need to "give Goa a voice". But unless we have more diverse individuals taught and encouraged to make their point in print (in our case), the process of sharing ideas and opinion formation will never quite be complete. One best gift anyone could make to the place they care for, is to create a pool of people who can write on the issues that matter, to focus on the good, and to critique the harmful. At the end of the day, unless society is more active in shaping the Press it deserves, it will have to remain content in accepting the Press it gets. For our part, newspapers need to work hard to offer a diversity of voices and multiplicity of views. In times when technology further expands the reach of the international media, building local content is a critical task. If man does not live by bread alone, newspaper readers probably need more than just a diet largely of political statements. Critical points of view and a culture of dissident is something that could help a society get ahead too. Can our readers help us to do our job better? ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
