STAFF REPORTER
JAMMU: Journalism is no more forte of only those having nose for news, having depth to visualize events to come and analyse events taking place around. It has turned out a breeding ground for all the unscrupulous elements and blackmailers, who convert this noblest profession into a money spinning business. To sustain the tactics of blackmail, they only need style and show off even if they are semi literate. This has been proved beyond doubt by some elements, by saying good bye to their small time jobs, like repairing of cycles and entered into the field of media, believing that if is just show off that works, not the journalistic ethics.
Pretending to talking to bigwigs by just dialing a few digits, they tend to impress those sitting by their side, as they keep ‘talking’ to Chief Minister, Minister, Chief Secretary or top bureaucrats and politicians, even though there is nobody on the other end. This they do with a style in the midst of puffing smoke and spreading sheepish smile. There is a method in this pomp and show, not just to impress but to emphasise how connected they are. It is to convey about the clout they enjoy with those who matter to get any and every work done.
In a bid to trap the sitters by their side, they keep on saying every now and then that: “Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and the top people at the helm were sitting with him for two hours, seeking advice and guidance on several important matters.”
These enactments amid taking long puffs of cigarette, with charming smile and sugar coated words, are bait for increasing the rate for a particular job to be got done. This style is now famous with those bitten by the venomous stung. Jammuties and ambitious people have suffered a lot at the hands of such blackmailers but the helpless sufferers have no option but to ‘sit before him’ and to fulfill his fantasies. The ill gotten money accumulated in a bid volume is utilized and invested outside the State thus giving birth to the Hawala racketing.
A local English daily The Mandate published from Jammu had aptly mentioned in its 26th September 2011 edition, which roads as “ Sending journalistic ethics to winds.
Instead of sticking to objectivity and the accepted ethics, if not high standards, of journalism, some newspapers published from the Temple city have virtually started mudslugging and damaging reputations of respectable citizens for their sadistic pleasure and accomplishment of willful agendas.
A leading newspaper Daily Excelsior has crossed all limits of decency by maligning his professional rivals, not on merits but feeling jealous and scared of the healthy competition in view of growing popularity of some other newspapers published from the city. In pursuit of ulterior motives, the newspaper prefers to use blackmailing tactics and slanderous language to browbeat the competitors.
Instead of serving the society through this noble profession, the newspaper has adopted dubious methods to remain in the spotlight and the climb higher on the ladder in respect of circulation. The newspaper Daily Excelsior has a track record of browbeating the top officials, harass the politicians and mislead the people to remain relevant, in circulation and to maintain the hegemony.
Recently, the newspaper adopted the same scandalous mechanism against the state police organization y raking up land scams and indicting some senior police officers in a bid to seek clandestine favours and once the agenda was achieved the so-called “independent’ paper did not even make a mention of the scams there were taken up with ‘vigour and enthusiasm’. It is reported that the matter was hushed up only after some police officers fulfilled the wishes of the owner and editor of the paper. He is known for adopting similar ploys ever since the launch of his newspaper on litho and published from a cycle repairing shop the old city. Apart from repairing the cycles, the owner found the medium of newspaper as rewarding the stepping up the ladder of success. The blackmailing paid and the editor started considering himself ‘Baba-e-Journalism’ of Jammu.
Through it is a success story for the semi-literate cycle mechanic to achieve the heights in the field of journalism, yet he has not given up his old tactics, as old habits die hard.”
Those believing ethics in journalism appreciate the boldness of Mandate, who courageously tried to blackmailers in the field of journalism. But it will not be out of place of mention that these blackmailers aside when it comes to defaming their competitors.
For some money is the “GOD”, one such blackmailer, who could not spare even two columns of his paper to pay tributes to his mother on her death, dedicates a full page and number of columns in his paper to defame his rising competitors, which speaks of his mental imbalance, hollowness, quantum of jealousy and frustration over the setback to his blackmailing business due to fall in the sale of his paper and getting exposed day be day on which he runs his “HAWALA BUSINESS”, as exposed in infamous Nago CD case on which the government took action only against its officers while other criminals exposed in the CD are yet to be booked under law.
For some, money is the “GOD” one such blackmailer, who could not spare even two columns of his paper to pay tributes to his mother on her death, dedicates a full page and number of columns in his paper to defame his rising competitors, which speaks of his mental imbalance, hollowness, quantum of jealousy and frustration over the setback to his blackmailing business due to fall in the sale of his paper and getting exposed day by day on which he runs his “HAWALA BUSINESS”.
