Akangjungla
Dimapur | June 25
In the dotcom age where news is accessible on websites, blogs, or simply through SMS texts, the medium of communication today is no longer confined to a television set, a radio or some pages of a newspaper.
In Nagaland, however, the print media, or what we call the newspaper, still ranks as the main source of information. The Morung Express interacted with some readers with the aim to understanding their perception, judgment and requirement.
Talking on the role of the print media in the present Naga Society, Athili Saprüna, working in the Centre for Advocacy Research, said that it can be a most powerful medium in every aspect ‘because there is no alternative for the people to present their perspective in Nagaland.’
Another Naga businessman held that people are still very ‘backward’ and for which the media in general should act as a catalyst to enlighten the public about development, education, health and other aspects. He said that the role of newspaper should be to create effective public awareness and bring social changes by highlighting the vices. He pinpointed the ironic situation of road conditions, drainage blockages and ineffective law enforcement as the most essential social problems that hardly find space in newspapers. “Another role which it can play is to focus on human resources department so as to create more career opportunities”, he said, and added that the media can really put thing right as more than 90% people are directly in touch with it.
Puni Modoli, a social worker, disagreed on the view that reporting in our local newspapers is responsible for portraying the wrong image of Nagaland to outside people. “We make our image right or wrong. And we are fair but acceptable words should be used. Discerning among public should not be used randomly”, the social worker said to justify his say.
However, Athili feels that our reporting is partly responsible for what outside people think of us because when it comes to reporting very few Naga journalists go beyond their boundaries.
“No one is to be physically blamed, but because of some ‘nasty’ writers we lose our image”, he noted.
In connection to this issue, Lanu Toy, a retired senior government officer, said that we are too much engrossed with factions where reporters have the tendency to be biased and sometimes very narrow-minded. For instance, only a particular group is blamed and projected in the news in most of the accident cases whereas we need to understand that ‘an accident is an accident’. And in some cases we blow up things too much.”
Bringing his vast experience to the forefront, Lanu Toy pointed out that Naga reporters need to be neutral and give only the facts without any consideration or compromise. He also added that even features should be educative and promote unity and understanding.
Neikhokim, a fourth semester MA student presently seeking a degree in Education at Nagaland University, feels that newspapers are projecting too much of only the goings-on in Dimapur, Kohima and Mokokchung when equally important things are happening in other districts of Nagaland too.
Methevino Sakhrie, a media person, said that working in newspapers is a difficult task, but nonetheless care should be taken to balance things and to avoid giving too much focus to individuals. She added: “Today what we need is more of developmental human interest stories and investigative stories. We need stories which deal with very basic things like food, clothes and shelter which are very rural in nature because we have to reach the unprivileged masses”.
Dr. Moa was quite positive in his view regarding the effectiveness of print media in Nagaland because according to him it is providing every subject like politics, sports, entertainment etc which reaches out to different readers with different choices and interests.
Over the years, in spite of its limitation, newspapers in Nagaland have emerged to be a leading mass medium of news and information. It must however continue to strive in assuming a more responsible role in the building of a more vibrant democratic society and it needs to judiciously hold public institutions accountable to the people. Further, in the context of Nagaland, since its years of isolation, the print media needs to play a more active role in broadening the perception of the society, rather than only reiterating dogmatic opinions and values.
It is quite a known fact that newspapers in Nagaland work under enormous strain and public pressure. But with increasing interaction between media and society, newspaper will continue to play an important and relevant role in enabling and empowering the common people to make informed and conscious decisions affecting their lives.
Morung Express News
