For the love of the Profession

Journos are an “out-cast”!... I say this because , among the non-Journo circles ,  you are treated as an outsider. The profession ( and the practitioner ) is one of the most discriminated and rebuked. Though I did  not quite understand whether these are directed toward the media house(s) as commonly used these  days, or towards the practitioner. The common remark is “ these media people” or “media people are like that”. You just can’t open your mouth, can’t share opinion, thoughts or even asked some questions, even if those that are not related to “politics”, even when you say you are not writing.    

Indeed , though “the media” is highly regarded ( or so it seems) the people behind the so call “media power” are but a powerless lot. In press conference, conducting interviews, running after protest rally, Journos have some 'dignity'. Once outside of these , they are dismissed as a "media people " . This 'journo - tribe'  have sub tribes such as ' the activist-Journo' ( this categories are for those of us who are usually seen at protest and civil society events"). 

Nevertheless, any Journalist would say he/she loves the profession he / she are into. Recently there are some writings, thoughts, and speeches from Journos, after the recent churning in the big media houses. And they all speak the same language ( that they love the profession). Though these were letters to colleagues or to the executives / managers; it became news and made stories. But the reach of the stories are mostly confine among and within its own tribe. 

Similarly, the local reporters too share the same feeling of “loving the profession”. In fact if not for the love of it none would survive the life of a reporter , especially in the rural and small towns ( where nobody bothered to pay news fee) or places where reporter have to really risked their lives to get the stories( and sometimes not published!!) .  

Journos love the profession and jealously guarded the love affair too. 

Every Journo has a story ,  a story of memories, of experiences, anecdotes, the sweet and bitter ones. 

Rajdeep Sardesai ( former Editor) on quitting CNN-IBN  quoted a famous bollywood song of the 70s “ Aadmi musafir hai, aata hai aur jaata hai, aate jaate raste pe apne yaadein chhod jaata hai. ”

Suhasini Haider ( Former TV personality and currently with the Hindu)  in her speech to Journalism graduate students recently talks of her tryst with the profession  “the only reason to stay is because of the love of the profession”

Monalisa Changkija ( Editor Nagaland Page) in her nostalgic thoughts on Journalism candidly wrote  “ Journalism is a vocation and I walked in, in fact raced in,  with my eyes wide open,  even if my wide-open eyes were full of ideals and illusions.”   

And Yes, if not for the love , the passion, a Journos’ life is High and Dry. 

Nobody seem to actually read the papers or watch news, not that one expect a toast or a cheer. As Suhasini rightly said  “when your boss tells you, only your mother watches the show, he or  she is probably right. The same is true of every byline in the newspaper”

 In- fact, its only Dad or Mom who calls to talk about the story - piece with my  byline. 

And yes , ain't got many friends !! ( FB says less than 300) the loyal ones would be even fewer, and I couldn't agree more to what Suhasini  tells the students“ ... your friends are ...those... ones who will stay in touch and the ones you can continue to forward your articles and tweet / facebook the links of your stories, and they will loyally press ‘like’ on them.”

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