The National Press Day is celebrated, in essence, to highlight the importance of a free and independent press in India. It is not for nothing that the press is regarded as the ‘fourth pillar of democracy’. Unfortunately, the press is not always free and independent. In Nagaland, the press is strongly suppressed by a lot of actors and is hard pressed for sustenance. In Mokokchung, the press is on life support. There are many factors that are suppressing the press in one form or the other but, in Mokokchung, the press is not free or independent for reasons that are beyond the control of the press. For the press to exist there has to be the readership without which the press cannot exist. Also, contrary to popular belief, news is not free. A lot of time, energy, resources and effort are consumed to make the news available to the readers. In return, the press people are paid for the job. When there is no readership, there will be no revenue to sustain the press and, therefore, there will be no news of Mokokchung worth the while. That is perhaps the biggest factor suppressing the press in Mokokchung and in Nagaland. Journalism, therefore, is perhaps the worst paid and most unpopular profession in Mokokchung/Nagaland.
Further, in the digital age, members of the public act as reporters, eyewitnesses, publishers, editors and, increasingly, the breakers of news stories. This shift is challenging the accepted journalistic notions of factual reporting, accuracy and balance. The so-called ‘news’ provided by social media often do not present the full picture. This leaves plenty of room for fake news, disinformation, propaganda and misinformation. The foremost value of news is as a utility to empower the reader and the purpose of journalism is to provide citizens with the information they need to make the best possible decisions about their lives, their communities, their societies, and their governments. But that is becoming a difficult task to accomplish in the digital age. The technological revolution and social media have changed the concept of news so much that it makes one wonder, do people care if the information comes from a real newspaper or a friend on social media? Certainly, information is in the hands of everybody and it is no longer the exclusivity of traditional journalistic channels, which implies that journalists now have to deal with a new challenge. The challenge for news reporters and editors to provide accurate coverage as quickly as possible without publishing false or biased information is now greater than ever before. At the same time, the community must also realize that the press is only as free and vibrant as the members of the community are. Press, and journalism, is not just any other profession. It is a pillar of democracy. Moreover, journalism and the press is not just about reproducing news from other agencies but bringing out news and unraveling truths that are relevant, contextual and empowering.