Media Helping Media - a free, global resource for media development - Urgent need for high-quality media training

Welcome to MHM

Media Helping Media (MHM) is for all involved in strengthening journalism in areas where media freedom is under threat.

Currently logged in

No registered users online

Login to MHM

Search this site

Reproducing content

Creative Commons License.

Urgent need for high-quality media training

News and features - South Asia

By Sajjad Haider

Monday, 23 June 2008

The Kashmir Observer

Since it launched, the Kashmir Observer has navigated a sea of political instability, logistical nightmares and misplaced perceptions, without the compass of proper training and adequate resources.

Steadfast in the face of these considerable pressures, the paper and its online edition, have earned a reputation for integrity and have built up a loyal readership.

The freedom and independence of the media depends on many factors, with the freedom to report and to express an opinion being just one link in the chain of communication. The other vital link is the economy of the traditional media.

For around 18 years we have been working in unpredictable circumstances due to the prevailing conflict situation. As a result, we have not been able to evolve a well-calibrated strategy to take care of our professional obligations while, at the same time, sustaining ourselves financially.

Lack of resources, in terms of men and material, has been the Achilles heel of the Kashmir press. Kashmir does not have a vibrant private sector, due to the unfavourable situation, and as a result, most newspapers have to fall back on the government for advertisement support. This, more often than not, comes with strings attached. As part of this process, newspapers are expected to fall in line by compromising their independence.

Almost all publications operate with substantial government advertisement support. They may be unable to compete effectively in the absence of this vital source, even though they try to embrace democratic values. Government advertisement revenue makes up more than 30 per cent of their net generated income.

Dependence on government advertisement support and in return tacit and indirect government control has created a crisis for the media. A willingness to be more accommodating to the official viewpoint is killing public confidence in the traditional media and creating a demoralizing effect.

Moreover this leverage allows the government to wield a stick to beat the press whenever it is perceived as not following the 'rule'. This leaves the media susceptible and puts it under pressure to abstain from critical reporting.

Falling in line means compromising editorial independence and we at the Kashmir Observer have steadfastly refused to do this. As a result, our paper has remained more modest than some of our competitors.

What this region needs is high-quality training to cover all aspects of running a media business, including editorial strategy, technical proficiency and, perhaps most important of all, training in building a business plan that can lead to financial independence.

The other major challenge is ensuring we deliver the correct perceptions about world issues in our reports, because we know, through the experience of others, that distorted or exaggerated news can exacerbate the already volatile atmosphere in our part of the world.

At the Kashmir Observer we believe that an independent, unbiased and pluralistic media is the foundation of democracy and the only guarantee for transparency and good governance, rule of law and security.

It is the absence of this and the distortion of critical reporting from an independent media that has led to conflicts which hampers our progress and development, both as individuals and as a society. That is why we need on-going experience sharing to achieve self reliance.

Sajjad Haider is the editor and publisher of the Kashmir Observer.