DailyPost 2581
EDITORLESS INDIA
India and the world have been impacted by editors of the print media in a big way, when print media ruled the roost. To say that the days of print media are over might not be true, but very rarely we hear of iconic editors. There are editors today in the best of print media globally, who keep making their impact felt. There have been well known names in the world electronic media, which have stuck around for decades and one listens to them today also, to get the right perspective. In the cacophony of the social media at times their solid sound seems to get lost, or does not get the right audience or enough of audience.
During the last decades of the 20th century and might be the first of this century, Indian editors had been giving the right perspective, the ones needed for the people at large in a transforming democracy. Think of India Today of yesteryears and every youngster would love to read the editorial, from the editor’s desk, a very incisive comment on the cover story. It held people’s imagination for quite some time. The Times of India’s balanced editorials was a pleasure to read and more fascinating was to digest and form opinions. What Indian Express had done in this the field of editor’s discretion, aggressiveness and propriety was demonstrated over and over again.
Who is an editor? He is the conscience keeper of the media, he is responsible to publish. We presume that if he has reached that level, he would be outstanding in journalism, and would have the capability to express in the best possible way, in the best interest of the large masses. How many such conscience keepers are we left with? Between the electronic and print media of the country today, how many editors are well known and to make it clearer, how many of them are known for the right things. If you have a conscience, only then you can be a conscience keeper. How many rule their media organizations as per their independent thought processes with a commitment of keeping on delivering every edition, which is worthwhile and impact making.
The editors seem to have been lost in the quicksand of time. This might just be time taking a toll on them. The other breed in even more fascinating and killer in nature. Those are ones in the electronic media. The don’t call themselves as editors, might be they know they would not be able to fulfil the great responsibilities of that designation. They are more than happy to be called as anchors, the ones who are hosting different shows. They seem to have no responsible or accountable editing or narrative creation role. Editors are the goalkeepers of the fourth estate. Without fearless editors, any democratic narrative would remain questionable.
EDITORS OUGHT TO EDIT THE DEMOCRATIC NARRATIVE.
Sanjay Sahay
Have a nice evening.