By Thomas Lim
The Golden Jubilee of a local Khasi Daily – U Nongsaiñ Hima – the Nation Builder, started on December 6, 1960 with letter printing press as weekly, and upgraded into electronic typewriter in the early 1990s. Turned daily form August 12, 1992, with offset printing and also have an online edition launched on June 14, 2008.
U Nongsaiñ Hima is an institution for itself. The newspaper was mooted by Prof G G Swell, then solely gear up awareness and support for a separate Hill State under the banner of APHLC (All Party Hill Leaders Conference), similar to “Young India”, a weekly journal published in English by Mahatma Gandhi from 1919 to 1932.
The founder editor of U Nongsaiñ Hima, Walter Roy Maring ( 19960 -61) who also spoke on the occasion said the ideology of the editorial board besides spreading the spirit of Hill State Movement and to neutralize the National newspaper, is to uphold “truth”.There are many research scholars both from India and abroad doing their study of Hill State Movement could be benefited through the records of U Nongsaiñ Hima, who boldly recorded the live events from commoner to the political affairs of 50 years.
The publisher – A R Lyngdoh Mawphlang, widow of former Chief Minister of Meghalaya, E K Mawlong, took over 22 years back is the proud owner of such treasure of Meghalaya, felt that, till date, due to the absent of raw materials from Newsprints to ink from the state, and lukewarm attitude of state government to support newspaper industries, had never dampened many dedicated journalist, clerical staffs and newspaper hawkers who reached the information to every hamlets both in rural and urban. However, she stressed health and security for this section of the silent workers should be taken care of by the government.
Coming to the bloodline of Journalism, that is credibility and accountability, the rich chequer of history of journalism in Meghalaya in itself speaks of Code of Ethics in this profession. The journalists here had master walking in the tight rope of survival skills.
Surviving in the meager package, threat between Police and Militant groups, act as mediator of peace during the communal disharmony. Segregating the emotion between politics and ethic in a small town where every individual is an acquaintance. Surviving in the odd topography, where each district is not properly connected by road or internet.
However, the new entry into the world of journalist is not fortunate enough to witnessed the sea-change from the letter printing press to this latest Computer to Printer press, as witnessed by U Nongsaiñ Hima, where the publisher had personally sell the newspaper the next morning personally, have been pampered by the fast growing technologies including internet, have adopted the “armed chair reporting” and most disastrous method as pointed out recently by the Chief Minister, Dr Mukul M Sangma on National Press Day the “cut- paste” reporter.
The general grievance here is that, the National media does not notice North East, this region comes to limelight only for some reality shows for their TRP rating, and of course the generosity in sending SMS.
However, the journalist here needs to introspect on what is the contribution by our self in reporting the basic truth to the outside world, such cut- paste journalism is just for temporary adjustment, this will not take us far.Journalism in Meghalaya have not only achieved support for Hill State Movement, it have enrich the vernaculars scripts, also molded the society, besides being a watchdog over both judiciary and political, and upgrading economy.
The new breed of journalism need to take a glance on the struggle of the Media in this region, and preserved the rich cultural and practice of the past, such that, the so called “main stream” journalism will have to accept the Code of Practice here as an Institution of Journalism.
via Meghalaya Times
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