Monalisa Changkija addressing a press conference in Dimapur
on Tuesday.(EM Images)
DIMAPUR — After
25 years of chronicling life and events in Nagaland, Nagaland Page, one of the
state’s most prominent English dailies, has ceased publication.
Founder, editor, and publisher Monalisa Changkija made the
announcement at a press conference on Tuesday, stating that the newspaper’s
final issue was published on December 21, 2024.
Changkija, who has been a journalist for nearly 40 years,
cited financial and personal reasons for the decision. “Nagaland Page was never
on a strong financial footing right from the beginning, but somehow we managed
for over 25 years mostly on love and fresh air,” she said.
However, as time went on, “because of personal reasons, love
and fresh air is clearly not enough. Facing reality is a tough call, but a call
that must be made,” she added.
Founded in May 1999, Nagaland Page was the second English
daily in the state after Nagaland Post. Over the years, it earned a reputation
for fearless journalism and engagement with issues affecting the state and the
wider northeastern region.
Reflecting on the newspaper’s journey, Changkija described
the closure as “an end of an era” in the history of Nagaland’s media but
emphasised that the decision was necessary.
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“Mine is not the first paper to fold, nor will it be the
last. While it is not mandatory to publicly announce the folding of any
newspaper, I felt the need to make this announcement as I have been a
journalist for almost 40 years and in the public space,” she said.
“Besides, I wouldn’t like anyone to think that I have slunk
off like a coward,” she quipped.
During her announcement, Changkija expressed gratitude to
those who had supported Nagaland Page over the years, from the newspaper’s
staff to its readers, distributors, and advertisers. “I cannot ever adequately
thank my team, the Page family, who stuck with me and borne with me through
thick and thin from day one,” she said.
When asked about the future of the Nagaland Page brand,
Changkija said she would be open to the idea of someone taking over the paper,
though she clarified that no formal sale process had been initiated. “Unless
some individual or group decides to buy the paper and continue, it will end
here,” she said, adding that she would assist in a transitional period if
necessary.
She ruled out continuing the publication as an online
edition, citing the personal toll of managing a paper for 25 years. “It’s very
taxing to be a journalist...and for a 60-something-year-old woman to be up late
every night, it’s physically demanding,” she explained.
Addressing the fate of her staff, Changkija assured that she
was working to help her staff transition to new opportunities. Many of her
employees were part-timers who already held other jobs, but she expressed hope
that other newspapers in Nagaland would “generously absorb” her team members.
“To the best of my ability, I’ll try and help them,” she
said, noting that some staff members remained on her payroll to assist with the
logistical challenges of winding down the paper’s operations.
Despite stepping back from her role as an editor, Changkija
made it clear that her work as a journalist and writer would continue.
“Although with the closure of my newspaper, I cease to be an
editor I will always be the founder-editor of Nagaland Page. Also, while I am
not an editor now, I remain a journalist and a member of the media fraternity
of Nagaland,” she said.
The newspaper’s closure comes at a time of significant
transition for the media industry in Nagaland and beyond. Changkija expressed
optimism that newer and better institutions would emerge to fill the void left
by her paper.
“There will never be another Nagaland Page, but I am
confident there will be newer and better institutions to take its place,” she
said.
As the curtain falls on this chapter of her career,
Changkija reflected on her decision to choose journalism as a career and how
“Every day we have a right to choice.”
“Now, at this point in my life, I choose to say that the
paper is one entity, and me as a person is another entity. Somewhere, I had to
make a decision.”
She also revealed plans to focus on creative writing,
including poetry, essays, and short stories, while learning more about digital
platforms to continue her work.
“I will continue to write as long as I am able,” she
added.’
