R Krishna Das
It was raining cats and dogs when a scribe in Mumbai received a call while he had taken shelter in a shed to save the showers. The call was from the Editor.
The journalist thought it would be a routine call; but was stunned to known that the organisation would not require his service from tomorrow. “The company has been in crises and the move was inevitable,” the Editor said succinctly.
Never ever he had imagined that while on assignment, he would get such a call. Having served the organisation with full dedication for decades, the end came in minutes.
He is not the only one; journalists across the country had been witnessing unceremonious departure while those left had been in fear when to get such a call. Covid-19 has come as a big excuse.
The issue of journalists plight props up for debate following the tragic suicide of senior journalist in Ranchi under mysterious circumstances. P V Ramanujam, who worked for a news agency, committed suicide at his office-cum-residence on August 13.
Family and friends said he was under extreme “work” pressure. He had pleaded for transfer but was not entertained. Those who had worked with him claimed with full confidence that Ramanujam would never had taken such a drastic step had the “pressure” was within the limit.
Ironically, media persons are running behind covering Sushant Singh Rajput. The judiciary is taking “keen interest” in the case; the politicians are displaying their prowess. But there is no buyer for the scrape of a scribe. No one wants to know under what circumstances or what led a journalist to end his life.
The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi must also read between the lines how “brutally” journalists are been sacked despite his appeal to avoid so.
The question now arises is media really under crises as claimed by the management in retrenching or terminating a good number of journalists. Even if it is affirmative, there was means and ways to find a solution. But the management seemed to look the other way.
Many media houses are run by big business houses. Under the cover of journalism, many had amassed huge assets. The tag, without faltering, has been used to keep the politicians and government in dispensation in the line.
The groups had been converting Covid-19 into opportunity and would be back in business with huge profits in the books within months. Had they put a small share of money into the media that they control during the lockdown period, probably not a single journalist would have lost the job.
The superiors never hesitated to ask journalists, though in different pretext keeping so-called ethics high, to bring business or help in its promotion. But none dared to lodge protest against the casualties inflicted on journalists. Had any Editor resigned to save his subordinates or company?
Journalists would always be used. For, they are givers not the takers!
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