IMPHAL August 9: Consulting editor for the India Today group and author of `2014: The Election that changed India` Rajdeep Sardesai attended the second day of the three-day media advocacy programme for State journalists.
The programme organised by the All Manipur Working Journalists Union and sponsored by the Manipur Development Society at the Secure Office Complex Auditorium, AT Line North AOC was inaugurated yesterday.
The renowned journalist talked on investigative journalism during the programme which was attended by enthusiastic journalists and students of the journalism.
Rajdeep gave a very insightful presentation drawn from his experience especially his exposer at Jammu and Kashmir to draw the narratives of conflict situations.
He also emphasised on tapping the edge of the technology revolution and boom in connectivity in this information age.
Trends like `Citizen Journalism`™ and social media are seen today as new hopes to get reports from the far flung remote areas.
He defined investigative journalism as something which goes beyond the popular narratives, daring to ask uncomfortable questions, daring to risk conflict of interest which differs from cosy reporting. While quoting veterans like Prashant Bhusan, he lamented that investigative journalism requires both time and resources.
He further cited the Right to Information Act as an empowering tool to access documents in investigative research.
`Yet the government is still paranoid about sharing documents`™ he remarked while admitting that 10 years after RTI Act there are more RTI applications rejected than responded.
`There is an imperative need to challenge benchmarks like Television Rating Points which merely attempts to hook the viewer with titillating and sensational reporting with Respect Points`™ he said pointing that serious news is often shadowed and compromised.
He said the boom in the media world has undoubtedly increased the quantity or reports however it has also led to decline in quality which requires introspection.
He pointed out the lack in rural reporting, despite the fact that 70 % of the country`™s citizens still live in villages.
Sabina Inderjit, vice president, Indian Jounalist Union (IJU); S N Sinha, president IJU; Brozendra Ningomba, chief editor ISTV news and A Robindro Sharma, editor Poknapham also talked on various aspects of journalism today.