Sharingain Longkumer, Yirmiyan Arthur Yhome and other invitees with members of the Dimapur Press Club on Monday. (Image courtesy: DPC)
DIMAPUR — A senior journalist of The Associated Press has called upon the
editors of newspapers and other broadcast media in Nagaland to give their
journalists time to do more engaging and investigative journalism that can
impact people and society.
Deputy News
Director of Asia-Pacific, The Associate Press, Yirmiyan Arthur Yhome, also
suggested local media houses come out with more engaging stories about people
who are living in far-flung areas.
Yhome was
speaking during the silver jubilee celebration of Dimapur Press Club (DPC) held
at Dimapur Government College auditorium on the theme ‘Harnessing media
vibrancy, embracing new frontiers’ on Monday.
Looking at
the newspapers in Nagaland, she said that though media houses may have a lot of
journalists, perhaps they are wasting a lot of time “reporting things that
don't need reporting.”
And though
“so much is happening in Nagaland,” she opined that 90% of the reportage does
not merit space in the newspapers.
She also
informed that currently India’s ranking in the World Press Freedom Index has
gone down to a new low.
However,
there are some very fiercely independent media houses that are carrying on
“this fight for independence, for fact-based journalism, but it is growing
smaller and smaller by the day because it's getting so difficult to survive,”
she said.
Yhome also
acknowledged the courage of some media houses and journalists and expressed
hope that they will continue to follow fact-based journalism and not be just
voices for the government or for big corporations.
When it
comes to embracing new challenges, the senior journalist said that artificial
intelligence (AI) is one, but since AI has come to stay, journalists should
equip themselves and be aware of what AI can do.
She also
mentioned that the second big challenge is the way people consume
news—two-thirds of news is consumed via social media like TikTok, Instagram,
Facebook, and YouTube.
Sharingain Longkumer, Speaker of
Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) speaking at the silver jubilee celebration of Dimapur Press Club. (Image courtesy: DPC)
Speaker of
Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA), Sharingain Longkumer, the special guest
for the occasion, in his address, said that over the past five years, he has
come to learn there are two sides to truth.
However,
Longkumer said he also believes there is a third side—one's opinion—and
emphasised that “how” and “where” an opinion is expressed carry significant
importance.
Stating
that many readers and listeners are unaware of which side they should project
their opinion, he said that this is where the opinion shared becomes
significant.
The Speaker
also said that over the last 25 years, Nagaland, as a state and society, has
made progress. While there are areas where collective achievement has not been
reached, he said that there are many areas where success has been shared. He
acknowledged the senior editors present, who have been vocal about women’s
empowerment.
He also
acknowledged those people who have captivated public opinion for many years,
spending countless hours, including endless midnights, preparing editorials as
a reflection of the times.
He noted
that today, as newspapers are reviewed, there are many conventions and
practices that need to be evolved or moved away from.
Longkumer
also underscored the need to grow beyond the conventions and general practices
that have long been followed and explained that embracing new frontiers comes
with significant responsibility.
He further
urged the DPC to continue to be a torchbearer of ethical journalism and to
embrace new frontiers.
Editor of
Nagaland Page, Monalisa Changkija, who also spoke on the occasion, mentioned
that the first newspapers in Nagaland emerged in 1932 and that the media's
presence today is due to the efforts of those who had started the newspapers
back then.
She said
journalists will come and go, and the same will happen with newspapers,
television channels, and other media platforms—technology has changed
significantly and will continue to evolve; while platforms like TikTok may
dominate now, they will eventually become outdated.
However,
the institution of the media—the fourth estate—will endure, but only if people
ensure its preservation, she said.
Deputy
Commissioner of Dimapur, Tinojongshi Chang, also addressed the event.
Earlier,
president of the DPC, Imkong Walling, delivered the welcome address, and the
convenor of DPC silver jubilee organising committee, Dilip Sharma, provided a
brief background of the club.
On the
occasion, a memorandum was presented to the chief minister through the NLA
Speaker, highlighting the need for a permanent office for the club, enhancement
of operational subsidies for accredited journalists, implementation of a
pension scheme for accredited journalists, an increase in slots for accredited
journalists, and the request to distinguish between journalists and social
media influencers.
Sharingain Longkumer, Yirmiyan Arthur Yhome and other invitees with members of the Dimapur Press Club on Monday. (Image courtesy: DPC)
Sharingain Longkumer, Speaker of
Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) speaking at the silver jubilee celebration of Dimapur Press Club. (Image courtesy: DPC)