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From: http://www.journalism.ubc.ca/thunderbird/2000-01/february/sainath.html
By Dirk Schouten
A VETERAN REPORTER formerly with the Times of India essentially called most of today’s journalism mindless notetaking while speaking at the UBC School of Journalism.
Palagummi Sainath does not pull punches or waste words. "In my view, the bulk of what is happening in the press these days is stenography."
True journalism, he said, has morphed into corporate journalism. The cause of this transformation? Convergence of media ownership.
But even though Sainath condemned convergence as a global iniquity that has become as palpable as the air we breathe, his lecture on Nov. 9. was not all doom and gloom. The Eisenhower Fellowship winner offered the room of aspiring journalists a challenge — if they had the nerve, they could reform an industry in dire need of regaining its independence.
Sainath himself came to this conclusion through introspection. "For the past eight or nine years I have been re-thinking my vocation," he said. "I think it’s important for journalists to do this, to ask ourselves, ‘What the heck are we actually doing?’"
His answer left the audience perplexed, even discouraged. Although the students were familiar with the concept of convergence, they were learning of its devastating effects from an experienced reporter who sees its effects each day.
"Film stars, CEOs, and the Indian beauty queens who were victorious in the Miss World and Miss Universe contests — this is what we’re increasingly covering."
According to Sainath, the shift from hard-hitting, truth-seeking journalism to innocuous, promotional stenography goes hand in hand with the increase of convergence. In this new media world, a wealthy few not only own the press, but also suffocate its freedom by making sure everything printed or broadcast fits with their business interests.
"The defining character of the media [today] is a growing disconnection between mass media and mass reality," said Sainath. "These two are increasingly growing apart."
Sainath believes the headlock that international media barons have put on the press contributed to the ’90s becoming "the time of the most gross social inequality since the Second World War." Referring to India, where the richest five per cent of the country owns the vast majority of the nation’s wealth, he said the nation’s press shows little concern for the plight of the poor.
"Film stars, CEOs, and the Indian beauty queens who were victorious in the Miss World and Miss Universe contests — this is what we’re increasingly covering."
Sainath knows what it means to write and speak from a minority viewpoint.
Although he has written 40 articles on India’s rural poverty in the past three years, he works in an industry that would rather pretend social problems didn’t exist.
"The [Indian] press does not have a single correspondent in a major paper who covers rural poverty," he said. "No one covers housing or unemployment or the 40 million job-seekers looking for work. But we do have a full-time correspondent covering golf."
But to think all is lost is to miss the point. What we should do, Sainath suggested, is look to the past. While today’s headlines feature the power of media barons, history shows that influence was also wielded by a different kind of person: the independent-thinking journalist.
"Even the oldest cynic will tell you he got into journalism because he thought it meant something about connecting with society, about changing the world we live in today."
Sainath referred to Thomas Paine and Mark Twain to show how journalists can greatly influence public thought and opinion. Twain’s satire — usually directed at institutions and establishments — was legendary for both its quality and degree of impact. According to Sainath, it is still possible for journalists to have this impact, "to be a part of the solution."
The eternal question, of course, is whether or not reporters want to put themselves on the front line. Sainath admitted this type of reporter is hard to come by because the work can be dangerous. You will find yourself in trouble "wherever you challenge power," he said, but followed this warning with a challenge to "find the spaces that exist" to confront injustice. If you need to change your writing tactics to fight injustice, he added, do so.
Sainath ended his lecture on a poignant note. He predicted what would happen if someone walked into a newsroom and asked the reporters whether they had chosen journalism for the money. Not a single hand would go up.
"Even the oldest cynic will tell you he got into journalism because he thought it meant something about connecting with society, about changing the world we live in today."
* Alan Lodge see the rest of my web-site for details: from Stonehenge, the Battle of the Beanfield resulting in civil case, Reclaim the streets, Operation Nomad and yet another civil case., and bloody onwards ...!
* Ben Gibson of the Observer: Arrested for obstruction at the `Battle of the Beanfield' near Stonehenge. Charges later dropped.
* David Hoffman freelancer: Frequently arrested (and assaulted) by the Metropolitan Police. Welling east London, Poll tax riots, Dockers/Reclaim the Streets etc), Has been awarded damages against them.
* John Warburton freelance on job for Daily Telegraph, working with New Age Travellers in the SW England. Arrested while covering traveller site evictions.
* Nick Cobbing freelancer: Arrested and removed from scene while trying to cover the eviction of environmental protesters at proposed site of Manchester Airport. Again at an Animal rights demo, Oxford, June 18th etc
* John Fraser Williams HTV producer: sustained two broken ribs after being truncheoned while reporting on the Manchester Airport
* Roddy Mansfield of `Undercurrents' recently arrested for the sixth time while recording events at a street party by the group `Reclaim the Streets' in Bristol. Again at an Animal rights demo, Oxford. Shell HQ protest, London
* Simon Chapman (photographer) Arrested after covering a protest against genetically modified crops at Totnes , Devon. Deadlines missed, later released without charge.
* Ben Edwards (i-Contact Video) Arrested after covering a protest against genetically modified crops at Totnes , Devon. Tapes seized at time, deadlines missed, later released without charge.
* Ursuala Wills Jones and Justin Cooke reporter and photographer working for the Big Issue Manchester, charged with aggravated trespass while covering demonstration at open cast mine/
* Paul Smith photographer protest at proposed site of Manchester Airport. Charges latter dropped.
* Campbell Thomas daily mail freelance. Bilderberg meeting, Scotland 1998. charges dropped.
* Martin Palmer video journo from portsmouth. Hillgrove Farm, anti-vivsection protest. Tapes seized and returned 6 months later no explanation or charge.
* Maggie Lambert mature student at Newport College, charged with conspiracy to trespass while photographing anti-motorway protest at Twyford Down.
* John Harris and Neil Plumb photographers charged with trespass under Aviation Security Act after arrest at demonstration against veal export at Coventry Airport, Charges later dropped, compensation awarded.
* Rob Todd photographer raided for photographs of hunt sabs, Police used improper warrant (ignoring police and criminal evidence procedure for journalist material). When challenged, they gave him a choice of giving them what they wanted, or having all his film and equipment seized.