Ever since Indian economy began turning global, like other fields, Hindi journalism too witnessed major changes. These changes have not only affected the presentation and management of news but more importantly, have drastically altered the criterion of selection of news. Today, only market-oriented news items find place on the front page or are displayed prominently. The market forces have ensured that instead of political news or news about farmers or labourers, it is the economic news and news pertaining to cinema and sports which hits the headlines. In the case of Dalit-related issues too, the media gives importance to only those news or views which have a market value. Arvind Das’s Hindi Mein Samachar (News in Hindi) examines these and related issues minutely.
Talking of the mainstream media, in a year, hardly five stories relating to Dalits or tribals – who together form a quarter of India’s population – are published as lead or get place on page one. The reason is the same. These stories have no market value. At the same time, if a Dalit thinker like Chandrabhan Prasad emphasizes on the need of capital and market for the empowerment of the Dalits, newspapers like Navbharat Times welcome him with open arms. Arvind Das, the writer of the book under review, hints that these are the reasons why newspapers like The Pioneer, The Times of India, and Navbharat Times, owned by capitalist business houses, give importance to Dalit thinkers like Chandrabhan Prasad while ignoring the news and comments concerning the basic problems of Dalits and tribals.
Today, the media’s emphasis is on garnering more and more advertisements. Arvind says that in the last 25 years, Hindi journalism has become as market-oriented as it did not in the preceding 100 years. He presents a comprehensive account of the changing nature of Hindi journalism. Among other things, he dwells on the style of writing, role of editor and proprietor, paid news, and selection and appointment of journalists.
Title : Hindi Mein Samachar (News in Hindi)
Author : Arvind Das
Published : Antika Prakashan, Ghaziabad
Tel : 0987185653
Published in the November 2013 issue of the Forward Press magazine
Forward Press also publishes books on Bahujan issues. Forward Press Books sheds light on the widespread problems as well as the finer aspects of Bahujan (Dalit, OBC, Adivasi, Nomadic, Pasmanda) society, culture, literature and politics. Contact us for a list of FP Books’ titles and to order. Mobile: +917827427311, Email: info@forwardmagazine.in)
The titles from Forward Press Books are also available on Kindle and these e-books cost less than their print versions. Browse and buy:
The Case for Bahujan Literature
Dalit Panthers: An Authoritative History
