The core issues of concern for media professionals in Nagaland are freedom and financial security.

 

As the entire world celebrate World Press Day today, a day of support for media which are targets for the restraint, or abolition, of press freedom, it can be reminded that in the 2022 edition of the Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders, India fell to the 150th position, its lowest ever, out of 180 countries.

 

In today’s India, experts have pointed out that the race for TRP and financial dependence of a media house on government and corporate ads and government interference has led to the decline of real journalism.

 

In Nagaland, the press faces a series of challenges although government interference is not significantly one of them. However, it is difficult to give a free check to press freedom in Nagaland as the freedom of press in Nagaland is curbed by factors that are unique to Nagaland.

 

Dr Limasenla Jamir, former journalist of The Morung Express and now an Assistant Professor, speaking from experience shared that one of the major challenges a journalist faces in Nagaland is in pursuing investigative journalism. According to her, whenever one pursues investigative journalism, there are forces and factors from within or outside that always curb its freedom.

 

“Even if we try doing investigative journalism, one or the other force would always block us from doing what is right,” she said.

 

Similar opinions were shared by senior journalist of Tir Yimyim, Sashimeren Jamir, who has over sixteen years of experience in journalism. According to him, because Nagaland is small and because we are a tribal society, whenever a media house speaks against someone or exposes someone of their wrong doings, the pressure from the near and dear ones and the community is too overbearing.

 

He also recalled some of the uncomfortable encounters he had in the past with the NSCNs and the Indian security forces and expressed dismay that press freedom gets curbed in various ways.
However, he stated that “lack of security” is what curbs bold and honest journalism in Nagaland.

 

“Journalists in Nagaland do not have financial security. You will notice that most journalists in Nagaland media houses are poorly paid and do not have any health insurance either,” he said.

 

Echoing the same sentiments, Dr Limasenla also expressed that most journalists in Nagaland struggle financially and pointed out that they do not get paid according to the work and efforts one puts in.

 

She also shared that not only are the journalists low-paid in Nagaland but often have very little to no recognition in the society or in the government level.

 

“In other states, media personnel are regarded highly for the contribution they make to society. I do not think that is the case in Nagaland. For instance, the frisking of the press that took place earlier this year in Mongsenyimti is one instance which makes me feel that the importance of media is not well understood by the people,” she added.

 

Meanwhile, Sashimeren also opined that “Media as a career does not have many options in Nagaland.” He believes that unless one is deeply passionate for journalism and is young, not many journalists in Nagaland consider the profession of a journalist as a ‘full career’ because of its low wage.

 

“At the end of the day it is about survival. One should understand that one has to go back and look after a family. So, with a job that pays you less than 10K in a month, it is quite difficult for one to see it as his or her career,” he stated.

 

Further, he viewed that someone in the field of journalism has no social life and often struggles to balance between family and professional life.

 

“As long as you are young, it is quite manageable but once you start having family, it becomes quite taxing,” he shared.

 

 

Measures and remedies recommended

 

In order to allay the plight of the journalists, Sashi hoped that the media houses would understand the struggles of a journalist and therefore work on increasing their pay.

 

He also strongly urged the government to understand the need of investigative journalism and said that the government must ensure financial independence of the journalists. He believes that this can be done by increasing the amount of the occasional subsidy which some senior journalists are paid by the government.

 

He also hoped that health insurance for journalists be considered and make the Nagaland journalists feel ‘secure’.

 

Dr Limasenla shared that the media being the watchdog is always trying to do something good for the people. Hence, she urged the people to understand the role of media and that whatever the media does, they are doing it for them.

 

Mokokchung Times

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