Save Journalism Day

Hyderabad/Chandigarh, 6 March 2023:  Indian Journalists Union (IJU) calls on all journalists, journalist groups, all media organisations and all those who cherish the values of democracy to observe March 23, the day of matedom of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, a committed and multi lingual journalist, besides being a venerated freedom fighter, as ‘Save Journalism Day’.

 

The National Executive Committee of IJU scheduled to meet on 18-19, March 2023 at Chandigarh will discuss all problems of working journalists and media and will chalk out further programme of action.

Journalism in India is facing a serious threat from various quarters and it is high time that all those who want the system of democracy in the country to get strengthened and not reduced to just a name sake took cognisance of the fact. To find remedy to a problem one should first accept that there is a problem. 

Space for media to act independent of managements and establishment is a crucial indicator to the health of democracy in any country and in India that space has been shrinking very rapidly in the last decade. 

Availability of a large number of media houses in the country does not necessarily mean media pluralism as a majority of them are controlled by a small number of companies and conglomerates owned by few powerful individuals. These managements not unnaturally toe the line of the establishment and the result is the domination of the news scenario by a subservient media.

This scenario obviously leads to the annihilation of independence of news room. Editors and journalists are forced to manufacture news stories to flatter the government and kill those which represent true picture. Journalists who believe in the independence of news room are made to either compromise or go home.

The government heady with the flattery heaped on by the acquiescent media is increasingly becoming belligerently intolerant to the few independent media outlets left to serve the sacred cause of public interest. Various coercive techniques including stoppage of not only government advertisements but all advertisements and raids by central enforcement agencies or takeovers are used to rein in the ‘errant’ media. 

Majority religionism has been receiving the official patronage and as a result vigilantes who roam the countryside have become a threat to media persons doing their duty, in addition to the traditional mafia and political ruffians. Slapping draconian laws like UAPA, sedition, labour laws amendments and repelling of Working Journalists Act’s, weakening of regulatory mechanism, attacks on Press Council of India with pushing pliable persons in it. Reporting made into a criminal offense, searches, interrogations, detentions on way to job, Seizures of phones, electronic devices, laptops and cameras of journalists and media houses. 

India, according to ‘Reporters Without Borders’ is among the most dangerous places in the world for journalists. Journalists are getting killed in the line of their duty. An environment of intimidation is permeating across the country and journalists who dare to criticise the government are dubbed anti-national. 

In order to create problems for the independent digital media that is increasingly critical of the government IT rules have been brought in.   On the one hand freedom of expression is being throttled on social media platforms and on the other extremely violent hate campaigns are waged against journalists, especially women journalists.

This all pervading environment of intimidation, harassment and attacks aimed against journalists and independent news outlets is killing the spirit of the free media which is a critical component for the sustenance of democracy. Unless fought head on the day of doom is not far. Indian Journalists Union (IJU) calls on all journalists and democracy lovers to rally behind and observe Save Journalism Day on 23 March 2022 with remembering our national hero Bhagat Singh, who taught us to be ready for highest sacrifice for achieving our goal of Freedom of Press. 

                                                    

K. Sreenivas Reddy                                                 

President

Balwinder Singh Jammu

 Secretary-General