A Window To Perceptive Journalism

In lieu of ‘Take It Three Lines At A Time’ Journalism

In this increasingly beautiful and simple world, journalism is adding its own mite to make it and itself simpler and more beautiful. Some nitpicking journalists call it dumbing down. But even they can’t deny that the new world being beamed into their homes and brought to their doorstep every morning is very simple.  

Narmada is complex. Aamir Khan is simple. Social justice and affirmative action is complex. ‘Caste or Merit’ sounds so simple. We all know it is merit that should matter. Muslims’ lot in the country is a complex question. ‘Should reservation be on the basis of religion’ is the simple formulation.  

And since we know the answer, the question looks all the more beautiful. It’s ridiculousness escaping us so completely. 

“Jee han bilkul theek kaha aap ne,” is how all TV reporters begin addressing the anchor when faced with an on-air query from the studios. “As you have rightly pointed out in your editorial” is how all letters to the editor begin with, and “Media has a great responsibility” is how all spin doctors hell-bent on buying, threatening, compromising, cajoling the media corps begin their speeches with. Simple! 

This site is a reaction to such virtues of simplicity in journalism. And it also has another component – Vanity. Many friends had suggested that I must make available at least that much of my work which I have on my computer. I have preserved few news clippings, and much less in soft form. “No matter how topical and fleeting these texts are, they form a cultural strand and are more than worthy of preservation in their totality,” a friend wrote. 

Having rashly agreed to such a suggestion, I have retrieved whatever I could from my laptop. I have put it all up here on www.penmarks.com, a name thought of by my dearest friend and unsparing critic, Shradhha, to whom I am indebted for much else too.  

I have promised my friends that I would be posting a column regularly on the website. “On anything under the sun” is how a friend suggested by way of subject matter, thus taking away from me a major chunk of the universe and limiting me to only what falls under the sun. (Does Pluto fall in my domain now? I would have to check. They are degrading everything these days.) But since that domain is not limited, I hope I will be busy for pretty long. 

Having been pushed into a website, and committing myself to a column too, I had learnt enough not to agree to a set frequency. “Weekly,” suggested a kind soul, before watching the look on my face and squeaking, “Fortnightly”. “Occasionally” is what I have agreed to so far.  

I used to wonder what could have convinced William Radice to bring his Letter from England to an end, or what could have forced The Statesman to let him do so. Till of course I read Martin Kampchen’s explanation. Radice used to visit places and meet people, and incidentally wrote about them. Then the Letter from England became a preoccupation and he started visiting places and meeting people in order to write about them in his next Letter.   

I hope to keep adding to this site till the moment I feel that I am writing merely to add to the site. Only till then. 

There is but one promise which I make my readers and friends (in many cases, both): This site will never lay claim to the simplicity claimed by “Take it three lines at a time” variety of journalism. That is a privilege I leave to those who realise that the news is important only if their TV screen splits into six and the font size touches 72. ■

Winter 2006

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