When we talk of journalism, journalistic activism, media's socialresponsibility and accountability, let's never forget about thejournalism awards which are being given anually in the name of manyrenowned journalists, sponsored by big press lords like The Indian Express and by the Indian government's agencies like publications division and others. These awards are in the sense of utmost importance as they try to create role models in our society for theupcoming journalists who aspire to get these awards in the future.This topic will prove to be a bone of contention between many. It will create a large number of foes rather than friends, but this cannot be avoided to be mentioned in the public domain.
Last week, a prestigious journalism award was given in theFICCI auditorium. We all know that the award which is being given inthe name of deceased journalist Udayan Sharma is of great value notonly in terms of the amount, it attracts almost all the media peoplein Delhi every year in its function. So I was also there as I was lastyear in Teenmurti Bhawan. I with most of my journalist friends wasexpecting good names to come out this year for these awards, butshockingly we all were taken aback when the names got announced.
Let's assume that I don't take the names, but then the readers will alreadyget to know the names, so no point in avoiding them.The first award for journalism and photography was given to the Sikarreporter of Rajasthan Patrika and its photographer. To cut short, let me tell you that Rajasthan Patrika group had donated Rs. One Lakh to theUdayan Sharma Foundation recently. It's very easy to connect these two incidents.
Now the special awards for journalism were given to two ofmy aquaintances...first to Sanjay Verma of Navbharat Times and theother to Archana Rajhans of Janmat TV. (Sanjay Verma is there asAssistant Editor for a long time but Archana has joined Janmatrecently as a Copy Editor and this is her first job. She has recentlycompleted her diploma in journalism from Guru Jambeshwar University,Hissar by correspondence.) Sanjay was awarded because he had done astory on the Googles's website Google Earth. This was not a veryoriginal report as many of us know about this website from a longtime, just to write about it and pose it as a danger to nationalsecurity does not invite an award of this stature.Archana was givenaward for her coverstory in Jansatta...I don't know which one. She hasdone some coverstories on Khabar Laharia, role of women in villagepanchayats and community radio.
To cut short, the community radiomatter was copied from an academic book, village panchayat matter wastaken from Charkha and rest...you can easily guess if you know her Godfather in Delhi media...Mr. Prasoon Latant of Jansatta.To remind our readers, Mr. Prasoon Latant got the same award lastyear...this was justified as he has done lot of grassroot writing inthe last ten years or more and he deserved it. But then, how comeArchana Rajhans fit into the criterion? The same question for SanjayVerma who regularly writes Pustak Parichay in Navbharat Times andarticles by the name Sanjay Verma "Uday" in different dailies bycopying from internet and translating them. Is this journalism? HasArchana visited any of the village panchayats, has she done reportingat grassroot level? Then, what are her credentials?
Just because these two send their applications for the award...the jury consisting of senior editors like Madhusoodan Anand of NBT, Ramkripal Singh of AajTak (previously NBT) and Mr. Rahul Dev (related to Janmat) is not aneasy one to have a ride on. Then did they inquire about thecredentials of these journalists?Let me tell you something more interesting.
A few days ago, a coverstory appeared in the Jansatta Ravivari about the strengthening village panchayats bylined Vimal Gupt. Vimal Ji is the wife of Shri Rajkishor, our revered writer...confucious of Hindi literature as oncequoted by Anamika in one of her reviews in Jansatta on Rajkishor'spoetry "Paap Ke Din". This was a planted story, according to the sources from Jansatta just to snatch an award by Rajkishor on his wife's name. The award was in five figures given by the Indian Social Institute. Now, have you seen today's Jansatta? There is a cover storyon the role of women in the village panchayats bylined Prasoon Latant.
Sources revealed that this story was also planted just for the sake ofgrabbing the same award, bur Prasoon ji missed by a whisker. The lastdate of publishing the story was July 15th but unfortunately it gotpublished on the 16th i.e. today. I think he will use this story forthe award next year.
The whole equation of getting published by strategically copying andplanting the story does not end here only. One of my freelancerfriends had done a column in the last issue of India Today named"Srijan Samwad" on Asgar Wazahat. Why? He had an interview on 14thi.e. day before yesterday in Jamia for M.Phil. He is expecting to getselected. Many of these creatures are continously in search of gettingbenefits from their planted stories and I know them, but I think thesenames will suffice. The rest you people know about the Alok Mehtacase. He was called in Shruti program of NSD to read excerpts from hisnew novel...after some days Devendra Raj Ankur got a column in OutlookHindi. You can easily trace this type of Give And Take instances inthe Delhi media circle, no one speaks about these things and workingin media becomes a tragedy.
We never have any personal grudge on these types of issues, but shouldn't they be revealed in the public arena? And if our seniors are involved in these heinous crimes, what will be the fate of the socalled fourth estate in our country? This is true that awards do notdecide the journalistic and writing capabilities of a person, but atleast they are a recognisation of good work being done in the media.
Has someone wondered why Ramnath Goenka award always goes to thereporters of Express group and NDTV? Why Kanchana Smriti Award wentto the reporter of Jansatta Pratibha Shukla? People who know thecredentials and capabilities of Pratibha can explain better. We arenot here to point at the incapabilities of someone, just to raisethese questions.
If you are of the same opinion as we, then we expect that you willraise these questions wherever you are and expose the connections ofthe journalists, stories and awards so that the real spirit does notget marginalised in this largest democracy of the world.
Abhishek Srivastava
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Fake Journalsim Awards: Abhishek Srivastava
Friday, July 14, 2006
NUJ(I) Demands Statutory Media Council for Self-regulation of all Media
NUJ(I) Demands Statutory Media Council for Self-regulation of all Media
For favour of Publication, New Delhi, July 4 -- The news reports that the Central Government is drafting a legislation to regulate content in the Television channels have naturally raised concerns about the nature of that regulation and the institutional arrangement through which the regulation would be exercised. In the absence of a clear statement from the Government, the National Union of Journalists (India) dedicated to the maintaining of the freedom of the Press is apprehensive about the aim and content of the proposed legislation, as authorities tend to exercise control over the media under the guise of regulation.
NUJ(I) has been for long demanding Media Council as an independent self-regulatory body for the entire media including the print and electronic. This is especially urgent in the present anomalous situation where the print media comes under the self-regulation through the Press
Council constituted under an act of Parliament but the electronic media that has a larger reach is under no such restraint.
The NUJ(I) demands that the Government legislate to end this anomaly by constituting a Media Council to cover all types of news and views media through a process of self-regulation and a code evolved through involvement of all stake holders, more specially media bodies including media workers unions.
The Union cautions the Government against having dual regulators, one for the print media and another for the electronic one, specially in view of many print media companies transforming themselves into multiple media corporations. To allay all apprehensions and speculations in this
regard that could undermine the very idea of regulatory bodies, the Government must
come out with a clear statement of intent and purpose of the proposed regulatory legislation and launch consultation with all stakeholders in hammering out the nuts and bolts of the bill.
The NUJ(I) is willing to offer its vast experience in this self-regulation of the media to ensure that the proposed legislation is effective but not a cover for governmental interference in media freedom. We strongly believe that the right of the people to know the truth constitutes the bedrock of democracy and that this right should remain nonnegotiable but that any regulatory system could only be to seek to accommodate social and public sentiments and privacy concern within that larger framework.
(Dr N K Trikha)
President, NUJ(I)
NGOs on EU fraud buster list
NGOs on EU fraud buster list
CHARU SUDAN KASTURI
New Delhi, June 26: The European Union’s anti-fraud unit, OLAF, has
welcomed proposals made by the Planning Commission seeking to regulate
the functioning and funding of non-government organisations.
The Planning Commission recently submitted these suggestions to the
government in the form of a draft national paper, which is being
considered by the Centre.
In the past couple of years, OLAF has been monitoring several Indian
NGOs, which it believes could be involved in financial fraud worth
millions of euros in connection with grants made by the European Union.
It has been carrying out its investigations in India in tandem with the
Union home ministry.
Calling the proposals a positive move, OLAF said their implementation
would help eliminate illegal international transfer of donations by
NGOs. “While we cannot comment on any political implication of the
proposals, it is a very good move,” Joerge Wojahn of OLAF said over
phone from the organisation’
The Planning Commission’s recommendations suggest that all voluntary
organisations should compulsorily file with the government documents
relating to their constitution, composition, membership and financial
accounts.
Tighter administrative and penal procedures, which would help sieve out
illegal transfers from legal ones, have also been suggested.
A distinction between public utility organisations dependent on fees —
such as private schools and hospitals — and public benefit
organisations dependent on grants under the Income Tax Act has also
been drawn out in the paper to prevent tax evasion.
Recently, NGOs based in India have come under the EU’s scanner for
seeking to bypass the strict regulations of the Foreign Contribution
(Regulation) Act, 1976, which monitors the receipt of foreign
contribution in the country.
For instance, OLAF is examining allegations against the Delhi-based
South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre, run by activist Ravi
Nair, for fraud of over half a million euros.
The centre had won a contract worth 428,760 euros in 2001 and,
subsequently, another worth 91, 200 euros from the EU for strengthening
human rights organisations in 13 Asian countries. It also bagged
contracts of £384,000 from the UK-based Department for International
Development in February 2003 and worth $150,000 from the Ford
Foundation in 2004.
However, the centre, registered as a public charitable trust, does not
have clearance under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act,
required to transfer the grants to India.
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Articles, Essays and Papers
http://www.projectsmonitor.com
2) Another Bhopal in the making in Mumbai? Business Standard, 27.5.2002
http://www.rediff.com/money
3) French apex court rules, Clemenceau recalled
http://www.indiatogether.org
4) The scrapping of Riky
http://www.indiatogether.org
5) White asbestos, a health time bomb
http://www.indiatogether.org
6) Waste burning is not renewable energy!
www.choike.org/nuevo_eng
7) 'Champagne glass in India, hunger in Bharat'
http://www.iicdelhi.nic.in
8) Waste To Energy Policy Perverts Waste Management
http://www.thesouthasian.org
9) Electricity, But at what cost?
http://www.sanctuaryasia.com
10) "E-Waste: Computers and Toxicity in India" published in Sarai Reader 2003: Shaping Technologies
http://www.sarai.net/journal
11) Open Waste Burning in the Green City!
prod.india.indymedia.org/en
12) Nothing new
http://www.thehindu.com/2006
13) White asbestos: Silent killer
http://www.infochangeindia.org
14) Canadian Asbestos: A Global Concern
www.btinternet.com/~ibas/lka
15) French apex court rules, Clemenceau recalled http://www.indiatogether.org
16) The scrapping of Riky
http://www.indiatogether.org
17) White asbestos, a health time bomb
http://www.indiatogether.org
18) Mining takes its toll on environment & health
http://mumbai.indymedia.org/en
19) Urban renewal - waste scam
http://www.industelegraph.com
20) Interlinking of Rivers Catastrophic for Ecosystem
http://india.indymedia.org/en
21) FICCI's National Conference on Interlinking of Rivers
http://prod.india.indymedia
22) River Linking: a Vote Catchning Project
http://prod.india.indymedia
23) Tyranny of the Supreme Court & President's Amnesia
http://mumbai.indymedia.org/en
24) Diversion of Rivers – Impact and Sustainability
http://www.iicdelhi.nic.in
25) Status of Writ Petition on "Networking of Rivers" in India, a paper presented at an International Conference in Dhaka
www.ben-center.org/IRLConf
26) Ritual of Clean Yamuna Campaign
http://india.indymedia.org/en
27) "Linking of Rivers" is ecologically destructive
http://india.indymedia.org/en
28) 'Yamuna sans Gangajal'
www.iicdelhi.nic.in/program
29) `Secret' national environment policy
http://www.industelegraph.com
30) Asbestos: Breathtaking negligence
published in Business Standard on October 22, 2002 (attached)
31) Plight of Asbestos Victims in India, a paper presented at Global Asbestos Vongress, Tokyo
http://park3.wakwak.com/
32) Implementation Plan for Stockholm Convention?
http://india.indymedia.org/en
33) "GREENS DENOUNCE TOXIC WASTE DUMPING IN ASIA"
http://india.indymedia.org/en
34) Can Canada Make UNEP Impotent ?
http://india.indymedia.org/en
35) Poisoned and silenced by pesticides
http://static.teriin.org
36) Urgent Need to campaign for alternatives of Large Dams
http://india.indymedia.org/en
