I have been reading Hindustan Times Mumbai edition from the beginning of its edition in Mumbai as its subscriber. Everyday morning it gets delivered. I look and leave to catch the punishing Mumbai train for my office. Today I was waiting the newspaper to know news about the flood situation in eastern India, particularly in Orissa , my home state . The paper was delivered and it delivers a news item on Orissa flood a 7 line mentions in front page “no food for Orissa flood victims”. Then a news item on page 9 with four photograph from Orissa, Jamshedpur, Kolkata and west Bengal with 34 line a general news which contains around 7 to 10 line share on “starved” and “marooned” flood victims of this 4 state. The story has been filed by Guwahati, Bhubaneswar, Ranchi and Kolkata HT reporters.
I am flood hit coastal Orissa and was in journalism for long time there before shifting to Mumbai with a PR profession. I had visited covered Orissa flood in 2002 and 2004 extensively for local DD programme ORISSA TODAY and STAR NEWS( as a part of BAG network) in 2004 respectively. I know how flood makes thousands of people marooned, starved and helpless .
I searched page by page in HT to read more on flood. But it is not there. In front page , now , Aarushi Talawr murder case report has taken place 38 line , bold heading and a photograph of while Sonia Gandhi’s UPA meeting has taken 47 line with a 3 column photograph. Then a 42 line flight fares hike report has also place in front page. The main place of front page on school math curriculum with 81 line 5 column report.
Above 50 lakhs Indians from eastern India are marooned, homeless and many of them “starved” due to flood while even a national newspaper from country’s business capital does not have space for them. For a newspaper Sonia Gandhi, crime and airfare is more important than life and livelihood of above 50 lakhs Indian. Thanks to news paper HT, which at least gave 7 line mentions in its front page.
I do not have access to Orissa newspapers which has now several national English daily’s Bhubaneswar edition. As newspapers are struggling for readership and localized content/stories, it is obvious that this 50 + lakhs is not news. A newspaper was writing about crime and politics…... is writing and will write also. Ii was need of readers. Had I been in the editorial of HT, I would have to the same. May be one of the reporter published in HT today is also from a flood hit state!
Had a good news coverage on flood situation came in HT front page, many impact would have taken place. News is informing. But it is also bring solution to many issues that even the reporter and editor is not being informed. It opens many times the solutions providers eye and ear. Mumbai, being the city, where all HQs of Orissa’s all top industry are located. A CSR might help the flood victims.
Journalism has changed and it is now a product. The ‘social cause’ behind news is olden age’s value. Newspapers are for their customer. Customer’s priority is guidelines on how to package a newspaper, not a requirement or a cause.
I am not blaming HT that it is not able to give required space in its front page for this 50 + lakhs fold victims. Rather I shall thank it for giving a some space and photograph at least.
Flood victims foes molt have home now for them. Newspaper does not have also space for them in prominent column. But same newspaper can give them a more prominent space if Sonia Gandhi , Rahul Gandfhi or LK Advani visits them. A visiting newsmaker may not deliver food to the “starved” flood victims. But he/she can bring media attention to it which will bring everyone’s attention!
