P Jayanath speaks on Indian journalism

An aspiring journalist has to be armed with a working brain and an ample amount of wit. He or she has to be hardworking, self-possessed, and should be well-read. Investigative talent is also a definite plus.

CJ: Samiha Nettikkara

Thu, Apr 09, 2009 12:51:41 IST

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Journalism in India :

AN INTERVIEW with P Jayanath, a journalist with 25 years of experience. He is also currently the news editor of a Malayalam newspaper, ‘Deshabhimani’. Jayanath speaks on the Indian journalism.

WHAT ARE the new skill-sets that an aspiring journalist should possess?

What is the impact of ‘freedom of the press’ on the content carried through it?

Liberalisation is a pro-imperialist policy created after the destruction of the USSR. We can deduce its effects once we figure out the makers of the policy. You can classify the freedom of press as something worse than that!

Is online journalism the print media’s friend or foe?

It’s an advantage in the sense that everyone gets to know about the existence of a newspaper, even if they happen upon only the online version.

Are newspapers abandoning the ‘ivory-tower’ format due to the pressures of interactivity?

Yes, they have no choice but that.

From editorials to advertorials, is the impact of the market forces on journalism questioning the authenticity of the profession?

Market forces have become inevitable, but the credibility of the profession is not entirely lost.

Is the print media still a monopoly industry?

After 1947, the rich families got into the print industry. Even now, in the Malayalam print media, newspapers are owned by families, except for a few which are owned by the political parties, so essentially, yes, it is still a monopoly industry.

How is print journalism dealing with the challenge of grabbing eyeballs?

By providing what the reader is looking for.

What can the English-based press in India learn from its vernacular counterpart?

The English-based press is failing to reach the common people. There are lots of possibilities if it is channelised in the right direction.

The 2006 NRS report states that rural readership is almost equal to urban readership. What is the potential of the rural print media market?

It depends on your idea of the ‘rural’ areas. In Kerala, the so-called rural town of Kumbanad was the first place where the SBI opened NRI account services. Urbanisation is taking place at a fast pace. It is difficult to differentiate the selling point of rural areas on a state-wise basis; we have yet to evaluate that.

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